Former Kaduna Central senator, Shehu Sani, has defended the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Nigeria (CBCN) against accusations of partisanship, insisting that the bishops have maintained a long-standing tradition of speaking truth to those in authority regardless of who occupies the presidency.
Sani’s remarks followed growing controversy over comments made by Cardinal John Onaiyekan, the former Archbishop of Abuja, who recently criticised the administration of President Bola Tinubu over Nigeria’s worsening economic conditions and questioned the quality of information reaching the President.
Speaking on Arise Television’s Prime Time programme on Friday, Onaiyekan disclosed that the Catholic Bishops had candidly informed President Tinubu during a recent meeting at the State House that the country’s economic hardship was placing unbearable pressure on millions of poor Nigerians. He also suggested that the President was not receiving accurate briefings on the realities facing citizens.
The respected cleric further warned that Tinubu appeared determined to secure re-election in the 2027 general election “by all means”, expressing concern that the incumbent government’s access to state resources could undermine the credibility and fairness of the electoral process.
The comments drew a swift response from the Presidency. Daniel Bwala, Special Adviser to the President on Policy Communication, dismissed Onaiyekan’s position as politically coloured, arguing that the cleric spoke only for Catholics and not for the wider Christian community. Bwala maintained that President Tinubu’s assessment of the economy was supported by verifiable facts and official statistics, describing the cardinal as “more political than spiritual.”
Reacting to the exchange on Saturday through his verified X account, Sani rejected suggestions that the Catholic Bishops had become partisan, stressing that the church’s leadership had consistently challenged governments since Nigeria’s years under military rule.
“From the era of military rule and throughout the period of civilian governments, the Catholic Bishops have a consistent history of telling truth to power,” Sani wrote, arguing that the bishops had never aligned themselves with any political party or administration.
The former lawmaker added that successive presidents had received the same forthright treatment from the Catholic leadership whenever engagements took place, regardless of their political affiliation.
In a symbolic reference to the bishops’ approach, Sani said they traditionally presented presidents with bitter kola rather than olive oil, suggesting that they preferred honest counsel over flattering political endorsements.
His intervention has added another dimension to the debate over the role of religious leaders in Nigeria’s public affairs, with supporters arguing that faith-based institutions have a constitutional and moral responsibility to hold governments accountable, while critics insist that clerics should avoid comments capable of being interpreted as political interventions.
The latest exchange comes as public discourse over governance, economic hardship and preparations for the 2027 general election continues to intensify, with opposition figures, civil society organisations and religious leaders increasingly weighing in on the direction of the country under the current administration.
The post Shehu Sani rejects claims Catholic Bishops are politically partisan appeared first on The Sun Nigeria.
<small>Source: The Sun Nigeria — read the original story there.</small>
