Peter Obi, 2027 Presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), has reacted to “attacks” from the government against the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Nigeria (CBCN) after speaking the truth concerning the “suffering of the people”.
Obi said, while he was serving as Governor of Anambra State, he worked with a “very strong” Council of Traditional Leaders, led by the Obi of Onitsha, alongside religious bodies and had to ensure “consistent” criticism.
The former African Democratic Congress (ADC) member said, he was also offered suggestion; and a combination of the criticism and suggestion brought about the “success” he attained as Leader of the Southeastern State.
On X, Obi, who vied for the Office of the President of Nigeria in 2023 under the umbrella of the Labour Party (LP), said, the “decline” in the country continues to get “deeper” everyday because the government is “increasingly intolerant of truth”.
He added, the issues in Nigeria have reached the extent where the President of the United States (US), Donald Trump, tagged the nation ““a now disgraced country””.
In his reaction titled ‘When a Government Declares War on the Truth’, Obi said: “President Donald Trump of America recently described Nigeria as “a now disgraced country.” The painful reality is that Nigeria’s challenges continue to deepen.
“Each passing day reveals deeper signs of decline, especially when a government becomes increasingly intolerant of truth and hostile to those who speak about the suffering of the people.
“The Catholic Church has never functioned as an opposition party in Nigeria. Across military regimes and successive democratic administrations, the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Nigeria (CBCN) has maintained a principled voice on national issues and the nation’s conscience, commending governments when they deserved commendation and speaking the truth whenever national conscience demanded it.
“Its interventions are driven by a moral obligation, rooted in Christian social teaching, to defend truth, justice, and the common good.
“The same applies to Nigeria’s major religious organisations. Bodies such as Jama’atu Nasril Islam (JNI), the Supreme Council for Shari’ah in Nigeria (SCSN), the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), and the Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA) have repeatedly raised concerns over economic hardship, inflation, and insecurity.
“Living among the people, religious leaders often encounter the suffering of citizens firsthand. They speak because they witness families struggling with rising food prices, unemployment, and the fear created by kidnappings and insecurity.
“As leaders, we should be gracious enough to listen to people and organisations that speak the truth to us and genuinely criticise us when things are not going in the right direction. As Governor, I had the opportunity of working with a very strong Council of Traditional Rulers, led by the Obi of Onitsha, and religious bodies that consistently criticised me and offered suggestions.
“This contributed greatly to our success in Anambra State, especially in critical areas like education and health.
“Against this background, the attacks on the CBCN, and especially on His Eminence, John Cardinal Onaiyekan, are deeply troubling. Even in 1998, when Pope John Paul II visited Nigeria and told General Abacha some hard truths, including about the incarceration of Chief Moshood Abiola, nobody vilified him.
“What is playing out today also reveals how political leaders sometimes exploit religion and ethnicity to divide the people. Even when it was obvious that the CBCN was speaking on issues affecting Nigerians across religious and ethnic boundaries, aides to the President immediately reduced it to a “religious affair.”
“The question is: are insecurity, poverty, inflation, unemployment, and hardship problems exclusive to a particular faith? Do these challenges recognise religious or tribal boundaries?
“The bishops merely expressed what millions of Nigerians experience daily: insecurity has worsened, poverty is deepening, inflation is crippling families, businesses are struggling, and hope is fading. These are realities echoed by religious leaders across the country, to whom successive governments gave thanks and promised to look into their observations.
“Rather than address these concerns or explain the measures in place to ameliorate them, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s aides and supporters responded with vicious attacks, particularly against Cardinal John Onaiyekan, with little regard for his age, stature, and accomplishments.
“Good governance depends on truth. When governments punish truth-tellers and reward sycophants with appointments, honest advisers withdraw, sycophancy thrives, and leaders become disconnected from reality. This is our situation today.
“Religious leaders should continue to speak because silence in the face of suffering would betray their moral responsibility. The greatest service those around President Tinubu can render him is an honest appraisal of the situation.”
