Senator Orji Uzor Kalu on Monday described the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Nigeria as the “conscience of the country” and urged President Bola Tinubu to carefully consider their recent advice.
The Abia North lawmaker spoke in a Facebook video reacting to last week’s meeting between the bishops and Tinubu at the State House, as well as the public debate that followed.
“To me, the Catholic Bishops are the conscience of the country. And once they give advice, their advice is not for or against,” Kalu said. “Their advice is just for any sitting president, any sitting leader, to see things the way it should be.”
He acknowledged the hardships facing Nigerians but insisted the difficulties were not solely the president’s fault.
“There’s difficulty in Nigeria, there’s no doubt. And it’s not the fault of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu,” he stated, adding that while the administration had stabilised the macro-economy, challenges remained at the micro level.
Kalu said he supported the bishops’ visit because it would encourage the president to work harder. “Even if we politicians are lying to him and say things are good everywhere, the Catholic bishops can never say that. And that’s why they are Catholic bishops.”
He urged officials working with Tinubu to analyse the clerics’ concerns and respond in ways that would benefit Nigerians. Kalu also clarified that Cardinal John Onaiyekan is not the president of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference.
