The Presidency has responded to comments by Archbishop Emeritus of the Catholic Archdiocese of Abuja, Cardinal John Onaiyekan, accusing President Bola Tinubu’s administration of seeking to retain power in the 2027 general election by all means.
Onaiyekan had raised concerns during an interview on ARISE NEWS’ Prime Time programme on Friday, alleging that the administration was using its advantage as an incumbent government to influence the electoral process.
The cleric also claimed that President Tinubu disagreed with the assessment of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Nigeria on the state of the economy and insecurity during their meeting at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, on July 28.
He warned that unless Nigeria strengthens its electoral system, future elections may fail to reflect the genuine wishes of voters.
According to Onaiyekan, many Nigerians remain concerned about the neutrality of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), despite assurances from the President that the electoral body is independent.
“We’re worried about the fact that President Tinubu’s administration is bent on winning the 2027 elections by all means,” he said.
The former Archbishop of Abuja argued that the powers available to an incumbent government could be deployed in ways that might prevent citizens’ votes from counting, even where elections appear free and fair.
He stressed the need for urgent electoral reforms to guarantee credible polls and cautioned against any move towards a one-party political system, saying it would weaken democracy.
Onaiyekan acknowledged that a sitting president has the right to seek re-election but insisted that incumbency should not be used to undermine the electoral process.
“Even though the president has all the powers of incumbency, he is in the election. He is a candidate like any other person,” he said.
Reacting on Saturday, Special Adviser to President Tinubu on Media and Public Communications, Daniel Bwala, faulted Onaiyekan’s remarks, arguing that the cleric was representing the Catholic community and not Christians generally.
In a statement on X, Bwala claimed that Onaiyekan’s position reflected the views of groups he alleged were sympathetic to the presidential ambition of Peter Obi, the candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) in the 2027 election.
“Cardinal Onaiyekan wasn’t speaking for Christians; he was speaking for Catholics,” Bwala said, adding that the cleric’s comments were more political than spiritual.
The presidential aide maintained that Tinubu had the right to disagree with the bishops’ assessment of the economy, saying the President’s position was based on available data and statistics.
Bwala also criticised what he described as inconsistencies in the arguments of some religious leaders on economic issues, saying they would discourage their members from making similar complaints about hardship.
He further argued that the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), which includes different Christian denominations, was the broader body expected to represent Christians collectively and should maintain neutrality.
The exchange adds to ongoing public debate over electoral credibility, governance and political alignments ahead of the 2027 general elections.
