Federal Capital Territory Minister Nyesom Wike has criticised Cardinal John Onaiyekan over his repeated criticism of President Bola Tinubu’s administration and argued that religious leaders should avoid being seen as partisan.
Wike spoke on Tuesday during the August edition of his monthly media chat. The interview was aired live on TVC. He said religious leaders risk losing public trust if they are perceived to be supporting one political side.
Wike made the remarks while reacting to the debate that followed the recent meeting between President Tinubu and members of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Nigeria.
Wike said he had no issue with religious leaders speaking on government policies, noting that constructive criticism could help any administration improve.
However, he argued that criticism should be balanced by acknowledging areas where government has recorded progress instead of focusing only on its failures.
According to him, when a religious leader is seen constantly attacking one administration without recognising any positive actions, people may begin to question the motive behind such comments. He maintained that such an approach could reduce the impact and credibility of future interventions.
The minister also claimed that many religious leaders openly took political positions during the 2023 general elections. He said it would be wrong to describe them as completely neutral because their preferences were visible throughout the election period.
Wike added that while there was nothing wrong with supporting a candidate, religious leaders should not create the impression of consistently opposing the government after the election.
His comments came after public exchanges between the Presidency and Cardinal John Onaiyekan over the state of the nation. The disagreement followed the Catholic Bishops’ Conference meeting with President Tinubu on July 28, during which the bishops reportedly raised concerns about economic hardship, insecurity and governance.
After the meeting, Onaiyekan said the bishops presented their concerns to the President, although Tinubu maintained that the country was making progress. The Presidency later defended the President’s position, with presidential aides arguing that the bishops’ assessment reflected only one side of the national situation and suggesting that some church leaders had taken political positions during the 2023 elections.
Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar later defended Onaiyekan, criticising the Presidency’s response and calling for an apology to the cardinal and the Catholic Church. He argued that government officials should focus on addressing the concerns raised about the economy, security and governance rather than attacking respected religious leaders.