Presidency, Atiku clash over Cardinal Onaiyekan’s comments

The Presidency and former Vice President Atiku Abubakar are fighting after the Presidency criticised comments made by Cardinal John Onaiyekan.

A verbal exchange erupted between the Presidency and former Vice President Atiku Abubakar following a private meeting between President Bola Tinubu and the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Nigeria. The Presidency criticised comments made by Cardinal John Onaiyekan regarding the discussions, while Atiku defended the clergy and urged the administration to take public feedback on economic hardship seriously.

The clash reflects the growing tensions between the government and religious leaders over the state of the economy. The Catholic Bishops’ Conference has been critical of the government’s handling of economic reforms, and the meeting was an opportunity for dialogue. The Presidency’s criticism of Cardinal Onaiyekan suggests that the government is sensitive to criticism from religious leaders.

This echoes the 2019 clash between the government and religious leaders, which also involved criticism of economic policies. The mechanism then was different, but the result was the same: a government and religious leaders at odds.

The winners: none. The losers: the Nigerian public, who are caught in the crossfire; and the government, which faces criticism from religious leaders.

Bottom Line: The Presidency and Atiku are clashing over Cardinal Onaiyekan’s comments. The government is sensitive to criticism. The question is whether the dialogue will continue or the rift will deepen.