Wike Questions Onaiyekan’s Neutrality, Says Cardinal Took Sides In 2023 Elections

Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has questioned the neutrality of the Archbishop Emeritus of the Catholic Archdiocese of Abuja, Cardinal John Onaiyekan, alleging that the cleric openly took sides during the 2023 general elections.

Wike made the remarks on Tuesday during his monthly media chat in Abuja while responding to comments made by Cardinal Onaiyekan following a recent closed-door meeting between President Bola Tinubu and members of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Nigeria (CBCN).

The cardinal had, in a post-meeting interview, said those around President Tinubu were presenting a “rosy picture” of the country’s situation to him.

He also suggested that the President had already shifted attention to securing victory in the 2027 presidential election.

The Presidency subsequently faulted Onaiyekan for publicly disclosing details of the private meeting, describing the action as an abuse of the confidence reposed in participants.

Commenting on the development, Wike said public interventions by religious leaders should be balanced, arguing that persistent criticism of government without acknowledging its achievements could be viewed as politically motivated.

“If a religious leader is perceived or seen to be taking a side, which is very clear, it is very difficult for people to begin to see those comments as being helpful.

“I am aware of the position of Cardinal Onaiyekan; all of us know, it’s not hidden, whom he supports; everybody knows that,” he said.

Wike maintained that while criticism of government was legitimate in a democracy, public figures should also recognise areas where the administration had recorded progress.

“It is not every time you say things are bad; nobody has heard you say government has done this well.

“The point I am trying to make is that, as a leader, you should commend the government when it has done well in certain areas; criticise the government and say, look, you have done this well, but you should improve in these other areas,” he said.

According to the FCT minister, criticism that focuses solely on perceived failures makes it difficult for the government to regard such views as objective.

Wike also dismissed claims that the Catholic bishops remained non-partisan during the 2023 general elections, insisting that many religious leaders openly aligned with political interests.

“Don’t tell me they’re not partisan. You know what happened in the 2023 election. People took sides, religious leaders took sides, it was very open.

“I would be stupid to sit here and let anybody tell me this person is impartial. No. We know ourselves in this country; we know who belongs to where. Who did they support in 2023? It was very obvious,” Wike said.