The notion that public policy critics cannot be wrong is misconceived, writes BOLAJI ADEBIYI
The recent disagreement between President Bola Tinubu and a delegation of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Nigeria on the country’s state of affairs ought to be normal in a democratic setting, but for the misconceived notion that public policy critics cannot be wrong. This misconception is evident in the sharp critique, by habitual government critics, of the president’s spokespersons’ response to John Cardinal Onaiyekan’s account of last week’s presidential meeting with the bishops.
It was Cardinal Onaiyekan who brought the disagreement into the open during an interview with ARISE TV, a national broadcast network with a wide international audience. In describing the meeting, the widely respected clergyman portrayed the president as aloof and insulated from the grave situation facing the vast majority of the people he governs. He thought the president was arrogant for insisting on macroeconomic stability brought about by his reforms, which has not translated into improved living standards for the people. Finally, he opined that the president appeared bent on winning the 2027 general election despite growing concerns about the integrity of the electoral umpire.
