The presidency on Saturday criticised Archbishop Emeritus John Cardinal Onaiyekan for publicly discussing a closed-door meeting between President Bola Tinubu and Catholic bishops, calling the move inappropriate and an abuse of clerical privilege.
Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity Temitope Ajayi said in a statement that Onaiyekan’s decision to give his account of the private talks on ARISE NEWS television breached the confidence expected of such engagements.
“There is something fundamentally inappropriate about Cardinal John Onaiyekan granting a television interview to offer his own account and interpretation of what transpired during the private meeting between the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Nigeria and President Bola Tinubu. It is, in my view, an abuse of clerical privilege,” Ajayi said.
The remarks followed Onaiyekan’s interview in which he said people around the president were presenting a “rosy picture” of the country and that the bishops felt obliged to convey the hardships facing ordinary Nigerians. He recounted that the clerics raised concerns about the economy, insecurity, education and democracy during the July 28 meeting at the Presidential Villa, but that Tinubu disagreed with their assessment.
According to the cardinal, the president responded that “the nation is not bleeding” and that the economy was “doing fine,” making clear he did not share the bishops’ view. “Frankly speaking, he told us quite clearly that he did not agree with us,” Onaiyekan said.
Ajayi countered that the bishops were allowed to present their concerns freely and that Tinubu listened patiently before responding to each point. The president argued that the bishops’ characterisation of the country’s condition was incomplete and, in several respects, inaccurate, while pointing to measurable progress on economic, social and security fronts, the statement said.
“The bishops were notably acerbic in their submission, but the President listened to them patiently and responded,” Ajayi noted. He added that Tinubu acknowledged ongoing hardships for many Nigerians but insisted his administration had steered the country away from a fiscal crisis and laid foundations for recovery, including improved state finances and more regular payment of salaries and pensions.
On security, the presidency rejected any suggestion that the president was detached from realities on the ground, stating he receives operational briefings, intelligence assessments and battlefield reports unavailable to the public. Ajayi also dismissed claims that those around Tinubu were shielding him from the truth, saying the president monitors newspapers, television discussions and maintains contacts across society.
While affirming the bishops’ right to express their views, the statement stressed that the confidentiality of the high-level engagement should have been respected. “It was inappropriate for one of the participants to appear on national television almost immediately to offer his own version of what was essentially a private conversation with the President,” Ajayi concluded.
