Onaiyekan: Presidency Insulting Christians,  Won’t Have Dared If Same Statement Came From The Sultan

By Suleiman Anyalewechi

The Presidential Running Mate of the African Democratic Congress ADC , Rotimi Amaechi has taken great exception to the brazen show of lack of respect by Presidential aides  in their response to what he described as the honest and patriotic advice from Catholic Bishops and, especially, from His Grace, John Cardinal Onaiyekan.

The source reports that the Presidency had, while responding to the position of Archbishop Emiretus of Abuja Diocese John Cardinal Onaiyekan in an interview on Arise Television among other things, expressed fears that President BolaTinubu is determined to win re-election in 2027 ,by all means possible. Onaiyekan decried the dusmissive attitude the President to the concerns to the terrible state of the Nation in all sectors, especially, the hunger, the suffering of the poor and the unprecedented insecurity which has cost the lives of thousands of Nigerians.

Onaiyekan’s interview session was preceded by a visit by the Catholic Bishops Conference of Nigeria, CBCN, to President Tinubu at the Aso Rock Villa , during which the clerics expressed serious concern over what they perceived as disturbing trends within the polity ,as well as the excruciating economic situation facing the people.

But in response to Onaiyekan’s interview, the duo of presidential spokespersons, Daniel Bwala and Temitope Ajayi berated the retired Archbishop , accusing him of bias and unclerical .

Bwala further accused the respected cleric of fronting for a particular presidential candidate and political party, insisting that Onaiyekan only spoke for Catholics and not for the country’s Christian community.

Similarly ,at his monthly media chat on Tuesday ,the Federal Capital Territory FCT Minister Nyesom Wike , while re-echoing the presidency’s position ,claimed that Onaiyekan is working for some political interests ahead of 2027 polls .

” I am aware of Cardinal Onaiyekan’s political leaning. It is not hidden who he supports . Everybody knows that” Wike claimed.

But on a Channels Television programme ” Politics Today” on Tuesday evening, Amaechi accused the presidency of insulting the Christian community in the country , going by its unprovoked and misplaced tirades against Onaiyekan.

Amaechi , himself a devout Catholic, alleged that the presidency’s unrestrained attack and insult on Onaiyekan is deeply  driven by religious sentiments.

According to him, the Presidency would  not have engaged in such belligerent posture,and unwarranted haul of insults if the Sultan of Sokoto had made a similar statement as Onaiyekan.

“We were being insulted because we are Christians” he stated.

The former Minister of Transportation noted that the treatment and uncouth response to Onaiyekan has laid bare the double standard within the President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration .

According to him ,the Sultan, as a Muslim leader of the same standing, would not have been rebuked the same way the Presidency did to Onaiyekan .

However, Amaechi’s comments have been eliciting mixed reactions , with some questioning his real motives of praying up religious sentiments at this critical point in the life of the country.