Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister, Nyesom Wike, has challenged the neutrality of Archbishop Emeritus of the Catholic Archdiocese of Abuja, Cardinal John Onaiyekan, alleging that the cleric openly aligned with a political side during the 2023 general election.
Speaking during a media briefing on Tuesday, Wike addressed the controversy surrounding Onaiyekan’s recent remarks after a meeting between President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and members of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Nigeria.
Following the meeting, Onaiyekan had claimed that individuals close to the President were presenting an overly optimistic picture of the country and suggested Tinubu was already focused on securing re-election in 2027. His comments drew criticism from the Presidency, which accused him of revealing details from a private meeting.
Reacting to the development, Wike argued that religious leaders should maintain balance in their public interventions, warning that persistent criticism without acknowledging government achievements could undermine their credibility.
He maintained that Onaiyekan’s political preference was widely known, making it difficult for many Nigerians to regard his comments as impartial.
The minister stressed that while public officials should be held accountable, leaders should also recognise positive strides made by government where appropriate.
According to Wike, constructive criticism should combine commendation for achievements with recommendations for improvement, rather than portraying every government action negatively.
He further argued that repeated criticism from respected public figures could lead the government to view such interventions as politically motivated instead of objective.
Rejecting claims that the Catholic bishops remained non-partisan during the last presidential election, Wike insisted that several religious leaders openly supported preferred candidates in 2023.
He said it was unrealistic to describe such figures as impartial, adding that Nigerians were fully aware of where many influential religious leaders stood during the election.
