Federal Capital Territory Minister Nyesom Wike on Tuesday accused Cardinal John Onaiyekan of taking sides in the 2023 general election, saying the retired archbishop could not be seen as an impartial voice on national affairs.
Wike spoke at a media briefing while responding to comments the cardinal made after a recent meeting between President Bola Tinubu and the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Nigeria.
Cardinal Onaiyekan had suggested that aides were giving the president an overly rosy view of the country and that Tinubu was already focused on a 2027 re-election bid.
The minister said interventions by religious leaders should remain balanced and warned that repeated criticism of government without any acknowledgement of its successes risked being viewed as political.
“If a religious leader is perceived or seen to be taking a side, which is very clear, it is very difficult for people to begin to see those comments as being helpful,” Wike said.
“I am aware of the position of Cardinal Onaiyekan; all of us know, it’s not hidden, whom he supports; everybody knows that.”
He insisted governments deserve credit for positive results as well as criticism where needed.
“It’s not every time you say things are bad; nobody has heard you say government has done this well,” he added. “As a leader, commend government when government has done well in certain areas; criticise government and say, look, you have done this well, but you should improve in these other areas.”
When told the Catholic bishops maintained their stance was not partisan, Wike rejected the claim.
“Don’t tell me they’re not partisan. You know what happened in the 2023 election. People took sides, religious leaders took sides, it was very open,” he said. “I would be stupid to sit here for anybody to tell me this person is impartial. No. We know ourselves in this country; we know who belongs to where. Who did they support in 2023? It was very obvious.”
