Archbishop Emeritus of the Catholic Archdiocese of Abuja, John Onaiyekan, says President Bola Tinubu disagreed with the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Nigeria over its assessment of the country’s economy, insecurity and political climate during their recent meeting at the Presidential Villa.
Tinubu hosted the bishops on July 28, 2026, after they expressed concerns about worsening economic conditions, insecurity and the state of Nigeria’s democracy.
Speaking on Prime Time on Arise News on Friday, Onaiyekan said the President rejected the bishops’ position and insisted that his administration was performing well.
“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.
He added, “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.”
