Wike: We Know Who Onaiyekan Supports, He’s Partisan

Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, has described Cardinal John Onaiyekan, the former Archbishop of Abuja, as a partisan figure, arguing that his recent criticism of President Bola Tinubu’s administration should be viewed in light of his political preferences.

Wike made the remarks on Tuesday during his monthly media chat with selected journalists in Abuja while responding to comments made by the Catholic cleric following a recent meeting between President Tinubu and the leadership of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Nigeria.

According to the minister, Onaiyekan’s political position is well known and should not be presented as impartial.

“I am aware of the position of Cardinal Onaiyekan. All of us know… it’s not hidden. Who he supports? Everybody knows that,” Wike said.

He argued that the cardinal’s criticism of the current administration cannot be separated from the political alignments that emerged during the 2023 general elections.

“Please don’t tell me he is not partisan. We know what happened during the 2023 election. People took sides, leaders took sides. It was very open,” he added.

While insisting that he was not opposed to criticism of government, Wike said public commentary from respected leaders should be balanced and objective.

According to him, governments need constructive feedback to improve performance, but persistent negative remarks without acknowledging positive developments could create the impression of political bias.

“I’m not against comments about the government because if comments are not made, the government would not know areas where they should concentrate,” he said.

The minister urged religious leaders and other prominent figures to recognise areas where government has performed well while pointing out shortcomings that require attention.

“You don’t every time say things are bad. Nobody has heard you say one day that government has done this well,” Wike stated.

He maintained that balanced criticism would carry greater credibility and encourage constructive engagement between government and stakeholders.

The comments come amid an ongoing public exchange between government officials and leaders of the Catholic Church following Cardinal Onaiyekan’s remarks on the state of the nation after the recent meeting between President Tinubu and the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Nigeria.