*Photo: Alhaji Atiku Abubakar *
Former Vice President, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar has condemned Presidency’s attack on Cardinal John Onaiyekan, accusing Tinubu administration of intolerance to dissent.
In statement by aide Phrank Shaibu on Sunday, Atiku said Presidency chose intimidation instead of reflecting on bishops’ message that country is bleeding and economy not helping poor.
Catholic bishops had met Tinubu where president defended his record and INEC independence. Cardinal Onaiyekan later said on TV Friday that bishops told president hard truth and that Tinubu and officials were “not looking very happy” because it was different from praise songs he usually hears.
Related:
Cardinal Onaiyekan’s Abuse of Clerical Privilege – Presidential Aide https://theshieldonlineng.com/cardinal-onaiyekans-abuse-of-clerical-privilege-presidential-aide/
Cardinal Onaiyekan says Tinubu rejected Catholic Bishops concern during meeting at State House https://theshieldonlineng.com/cardinal-onaiyekan-says-tinubu-rejected-catholic-bishops-concern-during-meeting-at-state-house/
Presidency, through Daniel Bwala, slammed Onaiyekan as political, accusing Catholic Church of working for Peter Obi.
Atiku, reacting said “Perhaps Presidency has become so accustomed to inviting ‘fake bishops’ that it now assumes every cleric can be recruited into political propaganda. But Catholic bishops are different. They are not political props, rented cheerleaders or praise singers.”
He said the Catholic Church has historically been moral voice for poor regardless of who occupies Aso Rock, and that Cardinal’s press interview was only to place facts on record after Presidency tried to selectively edit and reframe engagement to manufacture favourable narrative.
“A government confident in its record welcomes criticism. Only an insecure government wages war against honest voices while rewarding those who tell it only what it wants to hear,” Atiku said.
He said attacking Onaiyekan won’t erase hunger, insecurity, poverty and cost-of-living crisis, and demanded Presidency apologise to Catholic Church and faithful nationwide.