Tinubu Rejects Cleric’s Assessment of Nigeria’s Hardship, Says Economy Has Improved Under His Watch

By Paul Joseph

President Bola Tinubu has rejected claims by the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Nigeria (CBCN) that Nigerians are facing worsening economic hardship, insisting instead that the country’s economy has improved under his administration, according to Archbishop Emeritus of the Catholic Archdiocese of Abuja, Cardinal John Onaiyekan.

Speaking in an interview with journalists, Onaiyekan recounted the bishops’ meeting with the President at the Presidential Villa on July 28, where they presented what they described as the true state of the nation, highlighting concerns over the economy, insecurity and Nigeria’s political climate.

The cardinal said Tinubu openly disagreed with the bishops’ assessment, maintaining that the economy was performing well despite the hardships being experienced by many Nigerians.

“When the nation is bleeding, you cannot expect a polite meeting with the Head of State. We told him the economy is not helping poor Nigerians, but he disagreed with us quite clearly,” Onaiyekan said.

He stressed that the position presented to the President was not the opinion of a few bishops but the collective outcome of extensive consultations within the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Nigeria.

According to Onaiyekan, the statement delivered to Tinubu was carefully prepared, reviewed and refined to accurately reflect the realities confronting Nigerians across the country.

The cleric dismissed suggestions that the bishops were pursuing political interests, insisting they had no ambition to seek public office but were simply carrying out their moral responsibility to speak truth to power on issues affecting the welfare of citizens.

He also lamented what he described as a culture of sycophancy around the President, alleging that many of Tinubu’s advisers were shielding him from the country’s true condition by presenting an overly optimistic picture.

Onaiyekan further warned that Nigeria’s democracy was under growing strain, accusing the ruling establishment of using the advantages of incumbency to strengthen its chances ahead of the 2027 general election.

“We are worried that the government is bent on winning by all means, and unfortunately they have many means at their disposal. They are deploying those means in such a way that even if elections are held, the votes of the people may not count,” he said.

The cardinal also questioned the independence of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), arguing that public confidence in the electoral body would remain weak as long as its leadership continued to be appointed by the President.

He called for reforms that would establish a truly independent process for appointing electoral commissioners and strengthen democratic institutions to guarantee free, fair and credible elections.

Onaiyekan urged President Tinubu to demonstrate his pro-democracy credentials by ensuring a level playing field ahead of the 2027 elections, maintaining that the bishops were speaking on behalf of millions of Nigerians concerned about the economy, insecurity and the future of the country’s democracy.

Despite the disagreement, the cleric said he remained hopeful that the President would reflect on the concerns raised by the bishops, adding that the delegation had fulfilled its duty by presenting what it believed to be an honest assessment of the nation’s condition rather than offering flattering reports.