ABUJA, Nigeria: Nigeria’s Special Adviser to the President on Media and Public Communications, Daniel Bwala, criticized Archbishop emeritus Cardinal John Onaiyekan on Saturday, August 1, 2026, regarding statements made about the national economy and security.
Okay News reports that Bwala posted on the social media platform X to state that the cleric spoke exclusively for the Catholic Church rather than the broader Christian population. Bwala argued that the cleric’s positions aligned with institutions supporting the Labour Party‘s 2027 presidential hopeful, Peter Obi.
The response followed an interview Onaiyekan granted to Arise News on July 31, 2026. During the broadcast, the cleric stated that Nigeria’s President Bola Tinubu rejected an assessment of the economy and insecurity presented by the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Nigeria during a meeting at the State House in Abuja on July 28, 2026.
“Cardinal Onaiyekan wasn’t speaking for Christians, he was speaking for Catholics, the very institutions rooting for Peter Obi, in fact, likely the institution where Peter Obi also said in 2022 ‘take back your country,” Bwala said.
The presidential aide defended the administration’s stance on the bishops’ economic evaluation.
“The President was well within his right to disagree with their assertion as regards Nigeria’s economy based purely on facts, statistics and numbers put into context,” Bwala said.
Onaiyekan noted that Tinubu told the visiting bishops he did not share their perspective on the economy. The cleric stated that the president insisted the national economy was performing well, contradicting the bishops’ assertion that ordinary citizens were facing hardship.
During the television interview, Onaiyekan also called for reforms to the Independent National Electoral Commission. He stated that public confidence in the electoral body’s neutrality would remain doubtful as long as the president appoints its leadership.
