Bishop Onaiyekan and others at the Villa
The Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Nigeria (CBCN) has never acted as an opposition platform but has consistently served as the nation’s moral conscience
The Presidential Candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress ( NDC) in the 2027, Mr. Peter Obi, has criticised what he described as growing intolerance of dissent by the Federal Government, warning that attacks on religious leaders who speak on national challenges undermine democracy and distract from the country’s pressing problems.
In a statement titled “When a Government Declares War on the Truth,” Obi said Nigeria’s worsening economic hardship, insecurity, inflation and unemployment require sincere engagement with constructive criticism rather than hostility towards those who raise legitimate concerns.
According to him, the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Nigeria (CBCN) has never acted as an opposition platform but has consistently served as the nation’s moral conscience, speaking out on issues affecting the common good under both military and civilian administrations.
Obi noted that the same commitment to truth has been demonstrated by major Islamic and Christian organisations, including Jama’atu Nasril Islam (JNI), the Supreme Council for Shari’ah in Nigeria (SCSN), the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), and the Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA), all of which have repeatedly expressed concern over rising insecurity, economic hardship and inflation.
He argued that religious leaders are often among the first to witness the suffering of ordinary Nigerians because they live and work within local communities where families struggle daily with soaring food prices, unemployment, kidnappings and other security challenges.
Drawing from his experience as Governor of Anambra State, Obi said constructive criticism from traditional rulers and religious leaders contributed significantly to the successes recorded by his administration, particularly in education and healthcare.
“As leaders, we should be gracious enough to listen to people and organisations that speak the truth to us and genuinely criticise us when things are not going in the right direction,” he stated.
The former governor expressed concern over recent attacks on the CBCN and, in particular, on His Eminence, John Cardinal Onaiyekan, following the bishops’ assessment of the nation’s condition. He recalled that when Pope John Paul II visited Nigeria in 1998 and openly challenged the late General Sani Abacha on issues including the detention of Chief Moshood Abiola, the pontiff was not subjected to public vilification.
Obi also pointed to what he described as a contradiction in the Federal Government’s relationship with the Catholic Church. He observed that President Bola Tinubu demonstrated respect for the Church during the inauguration of Pope Leo XIV in Rome by arriving ahead of many world leaders and participating fully in the ceremonies, but said that posture appeared to have changed following criticism from the Nigerian bishops.
He further accused political actors of attempting to exploit religious and ethnic divisions by portraying the bishops’ comments as a purely Catholic concern.
According to Obi, the issues highlighted by the bishops – including insecurity, poverty, inflation, unemployment and widespread hardship – affect all Nigerians irrespective of religion or ethnicity.
“The bishops merely expressed what millions of Nigerians experience daily,” he said, arguing that government officials should focus on addressing the concerns raised instead of attacking respected religious leaders.
Obi maintained that a democratic government should welcome honest feedback from credible institutions, insisting that national progress depends on leaders’ willingness to confront difficult truths rather than silence those who voice them.
