Nigerian Presidential Aide Criticizes Cardinal Over Political Comments

Daniel Bwala, Special Adviser to Nigerian President Bola Tinubu on Media and Public Communications, has publicly challenged Cardinal John Onaiyekan's recent statements regarding the nation's economy and security situation. Bwala asserted that the Cardinal's views represented only the Catholic Church and not the broader Christian community in Nigeria.

“

Cardinal Onaiyekan wasn’t speaking for Christians, he was speaking for Catholics, the very institutions rooting for Peter Obi, in fact, likely the institution where Peter Obi also said in 2022 ‘take back your country. Therefore, Cardinal is more political than spiritual. And not all Catholic members are supporting Peter Obi.

Cardinal Onaiyekan had previously stated that President Tinubu dismissed the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Nigeria's assessment of the economy and insecurity during a meeting on July 28, 2026. Onaiyekan shared these details during a television interview on Friday. In response, Bwala took to social media platform X on Saturday, suggesting that Onaiyekan's stance aligned with institutions supporting the Labour Party's 2027 presidential hopeful, Peter Obi.

“

The President was well within his right to disagree with their assertion as regards Nigeria’s economy based purely on facts, statistics and numbers put into context.

Bwala further alleged that Cardinal Onaiyekan was "more political than spiritual." He pointed to Peter Obi's "take back your country" remark made in 2022 within Catholic circles as evidence of this perceived alignment. Bwala emphasized that not all Catholic members support Obi's political aspirations. He also maintained that President Tinubu was within his rights to disagree with the bishops' assessment, basing his position on "facts, statistics and numbers."

“

Ironically, the same priest would rebuke their members if the members said ‘we are suffering or we are poor.’ They would tell them to rather say ‘we are doing great and or we are rich’ even when they are suffering or poor.

The presidential aide also criticized the Cardinal for alleged inconsistency, suggesting that priests who publicly criticized the government's economic narrative would silence their own congregants for expressing similar suffering. Bwala argued for the neutrality of a broader Christian body that includes Catholics and the Catholic Bishops Conference, warning that its position should remain apolitical.

“

There is a body comprising all Christians, including the Catholics and Catholic Bishops Conference, and that body’s position is neutral and should be so, otherwise it is political.