Archbishop Emeritus of the Catholic Archdiocese of Abuja, John Onaiyekan, has recounted how President Bola Tinubu argued with a delegation of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Nigeria (CBCN) during a closed-door meeting at the Presidential Villa on Thursday, insisting that everything in the country was working well despite the bishops’ concerns about the nation’s worsening economic situation.
Mr Onaiyekan, who was part of the delegation from the catholic bishops, said the president’s reaction suggested that those around him were not giving him an accurate picture of the hardship Nigerians are experiencing.
The cleric disclosed this during an appearance on Arise Television’s Prime Time on Friday, where he reflected on the meeting and the state of the nation.
He said President Tinubu’s facial expression showed dissatisfaction with the bishops’ assessment of the economy and that, instead of accepting their concerns, he argued that the country’s economy was improving.
“You asked me, how did I see the face of the President in reaction? I was not surprised that he was not looking very happy. Not even his colleagues who were there. We knew that this is different from the kind of statements that our president keeps receiving from all kinds of people,” he said.
