Catholic Bishops told Tinubu the truth, not rosy stories, but Nigeria’s challenges not Tinubu’s fault — Orji Kalu

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Senator Orji Uzor Kalu has defended the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Nigeria (CBCN), saying its members will always tell President Bola Ahmed Tinubu the truth about the country’s condition rather than present an overly optimistic picture.

The former Abia State governor made the remarks while reacting to the recent meeting between President Tinubu and members of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference at the Presidential Villa in Abuja, as well as comments made afterward by the Archbishop Emeritus of the Catholic Archdiocese of Abuja, Cardinal John Onaiyekan.

Speaking in a widely circulated video, Kalu described the Catholic bishops as independent moral voices whose interventions should be viewed as sincere advice aimed at improving the nation rather than criticism of any administration.

“The Catholic bishops are conscious of the state of the nation, and when they offer advice, it is neither for nor against any particular administration. Their concern is always the welfare of the country,” Kalu said.

The senator acknowledged that Nigerians are facing economic hardship but argued that President Tinubu inherited many of the country’s current challenges.

He urged government officials to pay close attention to the concerns raised by religious leaders and use them to formulate policies that would improve the lives of citizens.

Kalu also noted that while politicians may sometimes present a more favourable picture to political leaders, Catholic bishops have consistently spoken frankly.

“Even if politicians tell the President that everything is fine, the Catholic bishops will always tell him the truth as they see it,” he stated.

He dismissed suggestions of a rift between the Presidency and the bishops, saying differences of opinion should be seen as opportunities for reflection and improvement.

The former governor also corrected what he described as a misconception regarding the leadership of the Catholic Church in Nigeria.

“I want to correct one thing. Cardinal Onaiyekan is not the president of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Nigeria, and many people have been mistaken about that,” Kalu said.

His comments followed Cardinal Onaiyekan’s disclosure that during the July 28 meeting with President Tinubu, the bishops spoke candidly about worsening economic hardship and insecurity, while the President disagreed with their assessment.

According to the cardinal:

“When the nation is bleeding, you cannot expect a polite meeting with the Head of State. We told him the economy is not helping our poor people; he told us the economy is doing fine. Frankly speaking, he told us quite clearly that he did not agree with us.”

Onaiyekan said the bishops were not surprised by the President’s response, stressing that their duty was to present the realities confronting Nigerians rather than seek political advantage.

“We didn’t expect him to agree with us. We have done our duty, we have delivered our message, and we have a feeling that somehow, along the line, somebody will show him a few of the things we said,” he added.

The cleric maintained that the bishops were motivated by their pastoral responsibility to speak on issues affecting the wellbeing of Nigerians and expressed concern that too few people within government were willing to give the President honest feedback.

At the same meeting, President Tinubu defended his administration’s record, insisting that his economic reforms had rescued Nigeria from financial collapse and that ongoing security reforms would address terrorism, banditry and kidnapping while maintaining the neutrality of INEC ahead of the 2027 elections.