Presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress(NDC), Peter Obi, has accused the President Bola Tinubu administration of becoming increasingly hostile to criticism, warning that a government that attacks those who speak uncomfortable truths instead of addressing citizens’ suffering is drifting away from democratic accountability.
Reacting to the backlash against the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Nigeria (CBCN) and Cardinal John Onaiyekan over their recent comments on the state of the nation, Obi said the administration was “declaring war on the truth” rather than confronting Nigeria’s worsening insecurity, poverty, inflation and unemployment.
In a statement titled “When a Government Declares War on the Truth,” the former Anambra State governor said the Catholic Church has never functioned as a political opposition but has consistently served as the nation’s moral conscience by speaking out on issues of justice, good governance and the welfare of citizens under successive governments.
He argued that the CBCN’s observations merely echoed the daily realities confronting millions of Nigerians and should have prompted introspection instead of hostility.
“The bishops simply articulated what ordinary Nigerians are living through every day. Rather than respond to the issues they raised, government officials chose to attack the messengers,” Obi said.
He noted that the concerns expressed by the bishops were not isolated, pointing out that major religious organisations, including the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), the Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA), Jama’atu Nasril Islam (JNI) and the Supreme Council for Shari’ah in Nigeria (SCSN), have repeatedly raised alarm over the country’s deteriorating economic and security conditions.
According to Obi, religious leaders occupy a unique position because they interact directly with citizens and witness firsthand the hardship, hunger and insecurity affecting communities across the country.
He maintained that responsible leadership demands humility and a willingness to accept constructive criticism, recalling that during his tenure as governor of Anambra State, he benefited immensely from candid advice and criticism offered by traditional rulers and religious leaders.
Obi described the attacks on Cardinal John Onaiyekan as particularly disturbing, saying they reflected an intolerance for dissent that has no place in a democratic society.
He recalled that even under military rule, religious leaders were allowed to challenge those in power without being subjected to personal attacks, citing Pope John Paul II’s 1998 visit to Nigeria when the late pontiff openly criticised the military government over the detention of Chief Moshood Abiola and the country’s democratic crisis.
The former presidential candidate also questioned what he described as a contradiction in the administration’s relationship with the Catholic Church, noting that President Tinubu had publicly demonstrated respect for the Church during the inauguration of Pope Leo XIV in Rome but now appeared comfortable allowing senior Catholic clerics to come under sustained attacks for expressing concerns about national affairs.
Obi further faulted attempts by presidential aides to portray the bishops’ intervention as a religious issue, insisting that poverty, insecurity, inflation, unemployment and the rising cost of living affect Nigerians irrespective of faith or ethnicity.
He urged the Federal Government to shift its attention from discrediting critics to providing practical solutions to the country’s mounting challenges, stressing that governments inspire confidence not by silencing dissent but by responding to legitimate concerns with effective policies and measurable results.
“A confident government answers criticism with performance, not propaganda; with solutions, not attacks,” Obi said.