Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has questioned the political neutrality of Cardinal John Onaiyekan following the former Archbishop of Abuja’s criticism of President Bola Tinubu’s administration.
Wike made his position known on Tuesday during his monthly media chat with select journalists in Abuja, where he addressed several national and FCT-related issues.
The controversy followed recent comments by Onaiyekan after the leadership of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Nigeria (CBCN) met with President Tinubu at the State House.
During the meeting, the bishops, led by Matthew Ndagoso, expressed concerns about the economic difficulties confronting Nigerians and other challenges facing the country.
Shortly after the meeting, Onaiyekan appeared on Arise Television’s Prime Time, where he said President Tinubu was unhappy with the message delivered by the bishops.
The cardinal reportedly maintained that the bishops had told the president that the country was “bleeding” and that the economic situation was placing significant pressure on Nigerians.
His comments triggered reactions from supporters of the administration, including presidential aide Daniel Bwala, who accused the cardinal of allowing politics to influence his public interventions.
Wike, joining the debate, said Onaiyekan’s political position was not unknown to Nigerians and argued that his criticism of the Tinubu administration could not simply be dismissed as completely impartial.
“I am aware of the position of Cardinal Onaiyekan. All of us know… it’s not hidden. Who he supports? Everybody knows that,” Wike said.
The FCT minister further referenced the 2023 presidential election, noting that several prominent Nigerians, including religious and community leaders, openly took political positions during the election.
“Please don’t tell me he is not partisan, don’t tell me that. You know what happened during the 2023 election? People took sides, leaders took sides. It was very open,” he said.
Wike insisted that Nigerians should be realistic about the political affiliations and sympathies of public figures when assessing their comments on government policies.
Despite his criticism of Onaiyekan, Wike stressed that he was not opposed to criticism of government.
According to him, responsible criticism is necessary because it helps governments identify areas where they need to improve.
“I’m not against comments about the government,” Wike said.
“Because if comments are not made about the government, the government would not know areas where they should concentrate or focus. Therefore, the government is available to receive comments.”
However, he urged religious leaders, elders and other influential Nigerians to ensure that their criticisms are balanced and constructive.
Wike argued that constantly highlighting the failures of government without acknowledging areas of progress could create the perception that the criticism is politically motivated.
The minister said leaders should be willing to acknowledge government achievements while pointing out areas requiring improvement.
“As a leader, commend government when government has done well on some areas. Criticise government. Now look, yes, you have done this well, this well, this well, this well, but we think they should look into these other areas,” he said.
Wike maintained that criticism becomes more credible when it is accompanied by fairness, balance and recognition of positive developments.
His comments have added another layer to the ongoing debate over the role of religious leaders in speaking on political and economic issues, particularly as Nigeria moves towards the 2027 general elections.
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