Lawmaker representing Abia North Senatorial District, Senator Orji Uzor Kalu, has described the Catholic Bishops Conference of Nigeria (CBCN) as “the conscience of the country,” urging President Bola Tinubu to reflect on the concerns raised by the clerics rather than view them as political criticism.
Speaking in a video posted on his Facebook page, the former Abia State governor reacted to last week’s meeting between President Tinubu and the leadership of the CBCN at the Presidential Villa in Abuja, as well as the public debate that followed involving the presidency, church leaders and members of the public.
The meeting, led by CBCN President, Archbishop Matthew Ndagoso, saw the bishops express concerns over worsening economic hardship, insecurity and the general state of the nation.
In response, President Tinubu defended his administration’s economic reforms, insisting that the economy was stabilising.
He also pointed to the end of prolonged strikes by university lecturers and maintained that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) remained neutral, adding that his political opponents were “afraid of their own shadows.”
The meeting later sparked public debate after the Archbishop Emeritus of Abuja, Cardinal John Onaiyekan, said during an interview on ARISE NEWS that President Tinubu appeared unhappy with the bishops’ message that Nigeria was “bleeding” and that worsening economic conditions were taking a severe toll on ordinary citizens.
Presidential Special Adviser on Policy Communication, Daniel Bwala, subsequently criticised Onaiyekan’s remarks, arguing that they did not represent the views of all Christians. He also alleged that the Catholic Church was backing the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) presidential candidate, Peter Obi, ahead of the 2027 election.
Reacting to the controversy, Kalu defended the bishops, saying their intervention was intended to strengthen governance rather than undermine the president.
“To me, the Catholic Bishops are the conscience of the country. And once they give advice, their advice is not for or against,” Kalu said.
“Their advice is just for any sitting president, any sitting leader, to see things the way it should be.”
The senator acknowledged the economic hardship facing Nigerians but argued that the current challenges could not be blamed entirely on President Tinubu.
“There’s difficulty in Nigeria, there’s no doubt. And it’s not the fault of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu,” he said.
Kalu maintained that while the administration had made progress in stabilising the broader economy, many Nigerians were yet to experience the benefits at the grassroots level.
“And we have been able to capture the macro-economy, and the micro is what we are having problems with, as I’ve always told people,” he said.
He stressed that the bishops had a moral responsibility to tell the president the truth, unlike politicians who might present an overly optimistic picture of the country.
“So there’s nothing new about the Catholic bishops visiting; they are clergymen who are conscious of what they speak and what they say,” he said.
“And I support the visit of the Catholic bishops; it prods the president to work harder because the Catholic bishops are just telling him the way it is.
“Even if we politicians are lying to him and say things are good everywhere, the Catholic bishops can never say that. And that’s why they are Catholic bishops.”
Kalu also sought to correct what he described as a misconception regarding the leadership of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference.
“And I want to correct one thing. Cardinal Onaiyekan is not the president of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference. And people are making mistakes on that,” he said.
The lawmaker urged members of the president’s team to carefully evaluate the bishops’ concerns and use them to improve governance.
“So I believe whatever the disagreement is between the Catholic bishops and people speaking for the president, it’s nothing because the Catholic bishops just dropped what they want to say about the presidency, or it’s about what they want to say about what they know about the economy,” he said.
“It’s left for us who work with President Tinubu to take back to our rooms, analyse what they have said and come up with solutions that will make Nigerians happy.”
Credit: Leadership