I’ll dump APC if Tinubu disrespects Catholic Bishops – Orji Kalu

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Former Abia State Governor and Senator representing Abia North, Orji Uzor Kalu, has declared that he would resign from the All Progressives Congress (APC) if President Bola Tinubu ever disrespects the Catholic bishops or the political opposition.

Kalu made the declaration on Wednesday while speaking on Channels Television’s Politics Today, where he dismissed claims that President Tinubu had insulted the Catholic Church following recent controversy over comments made by Catholic leaders on the state of the nation.

The former Senate Chief Whip insisted that the President enjoys a cordial relationship with the Catholic Church, describing the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Nigeria as the conscience of the nation whose views should not be interpreted as hostility towards the government.

“Tinubu did not insult the Catholic Church. This is not the first time the Catholic Church has gone to President Tinubu. In every country, from the Democratic Republic of Congo to Angola, South Africa and elsewhere, the Catholic Church and other churches remain the conscience of the country.

“I do not see anything wrong in what the Catholic bishops said. Since the military era, the Catholic Bishops’ Conference has held annual meetings where they issue statements on the state of the nation.

“For me, Tinubu is not an enemy of the Catholic bishops. The President has a very good relationship with the Catholic Church. Anytime they ask for an audience, he grants it because any president who avoids the Catholic bishops is avoiding himself. What politicians cannot tell the President, the Catholic bishops will say it.

“It is not true. If you listened carefully, he said there would be a fair contest and that he would not target anyone. Any day President Tinubu disrespects the opposition or the Catholic bishops, I will resign from the APC,” Kalu said.

The controversy followed recent exchanges between the Presidency and the Archbishop Emeritus of the Catholic Archdiocese of Abuja, Cardinal John Onaiyekan, after the cleric recounted a meeting with President Tinubu during which he raised concerns over worsening economic hardship and insecurity.

Some presidential aides subsequently challenged aspects of the Cardinal’s remarks, attracting criticism from sections of the Christian community, who viewed the responses as disrespectful to both the cleric and the Catholic Church.

Speaking on the 2027 general election, Kalu expressed confidence that President Tinubu would secure a second term in office, arguing that the administration’s achievements had not been adequately communicated to Nigerians despite prevailing economic challenges.

According to him, the APC has failed to effectively publicise the government’s achievements in infrastructure, security and economic reforms.

“A lot has been done by this government. We simply have not marketed those achievements well,” he said.

Assessing the administration’s performance, Kalu said President Tinubu had achieved about 65 per cent of his targets and predicted that the figure would rise to nearly 70 per cent by September or October.

He also argued that the opposition remains too fragmented to pose a serious challenge to the APC in the 2027 presidential election.