Cardinal Onaiyekan says Tinubu seeks to retain power

Cardinal John Onaiyekan, the former Archbishop of Abuja, has publicly expressed deep concern that the administration of President Bola Tinubu is determined to win the 2027 elections "by all means," warning that the government's resources could undermine electoral credibility. The cardinal's remarks, made during a television interview on July 31, 2026, followed a meeting earlier in the week between Tinubu and a delegation from the Catholic Bishops' Conference of Nigeria (CBCN).

The bishops, led by conference president Matthew Ndagoso, met with the president at the Presidential Villa in Abuja on Tuesday, July 28, 2026. During the meeting, they presented an address outlining their assessment of severe national challenges, stating that the country was "bleeding" and that economic hardship was taking a heavy toll on poor citizens. Cardinal Onaiyekan, who was part of the delegation, said the bishops' message was deliberately crafted to reflect the harsh realities confronting ordinary Nigerians, which he argued contrasts sharply with the "rosy picture" the president routinely receives from his advisers.

According to Onaiyekan, President Tinubu and some officials present appeared...