Presidency Berates Archbishop Onaiyekan for Discussing Private Meeting with Tinubu

The Nigerian Presidency has sharply criticized Archbishop Emeritus John Onaiyekan, a cardinal, for disclosing details of a private meeting between President Bola Tinubu and the Catholic Bishops' Conference of Nigeria (CBCN). The Presidency described Onaiyekan's actions as an "abuse of clerical privilege."

The meeting, led by CBCN President Matthew Ndagoso, addressed critical national issues including security, the quality of tertiary education, democratic sustainability, credible elections, and poverty. Following the closed-door session, Onaiyekan, who was part of the delegation, told Arise TV that President Tinubu appeared to argue with the bishops about the state of the nation.

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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.

Onaiyekan suggested that the president's close advisors might not be providing him with an accurate picture of the hardships Nigerians are experiencing. He noted Tinubu's apparent dissatisfaction with the bishops' assessment of the economy, stating the president argued that the country's economic situation was improving, contrary to the bishops' concerns.

In response, the Presidency, through Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity Temitope Ajayi, issued a statement on Saturday. Ajayi asserted that it was "fundamentally inappropriate" for Onaiyekan to grant a television interview offering his interpretation of the private meeting. The statement also claimed the bishops were "dismissive of the other great things the administration accomplished" and "notably acerbic in their submission."

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You asked me, how did I see the face of the President in reaction? I was not surprised that he was not looking very happy. Not even his colleagues who were there. We knew that this is different from the kind of statements that our president keeps receiving from all kinds of people.