Wike accuses Onaiyekan of partisanship over 2023 election remarks

The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has accused the Archbishop Emeritus of Abuja, Cardinal John Onaiyekan, of displaying political bias during the 2023 general elections, arguing that such partisanship undermines the credibility of religious leaders.

Wike made the remarks on Tuesday during his monthly media briefing in Abuja while reacting to the recent exchange between the Presidency and the Catholic cleric following the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Nigeria’s meeting with President Bola Tinubu.

Cardinal Onaiyekan had reportedly suggested after the meeting that some presidential aides were presenting an overly optimistic picture of the country to the President while he remained focused on the 2027 elections. The comments drew criticism from the Presidency.

Addressing the issue, Wike said religious leaders should balance criticism with recognition of government achievements if they want their interventions to be viewed as objective.

According to him, Cardinal Onaiyekan’s political preferences during the 2023 elections were well known.

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

The minister maintained that it was appropriate to criticise government policies where necessary but insisted that fairness required acknowledging areas of progress.

“It’s not every time you say things are bad. Nobody has heard you say the government has done this well. As a leader, commend the government when it has done well in certain areas and criticise where improvement is needed,” he said.

Wike argued that persistent criticism without recognising positive developments could create the impression that such comments were politically motivated rather than constructive.

He added that religious leaders risk diminishing their moral authority when they are perceived as taking political sides instead of offering balanced guidance.