The President’s Special Adviser on Policy Communication, Daniel Bwala, made the remarks in a post on his X account on Saturday, August 1, while responding to Onaiyekan’s criticism following the recent visit of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Nigeria (CBCN) to the President.

Cardinal Onaiyekan had accused the Tinubu administration of being more focused on winning political contests than addressing the country’s pressing challenges.

Responding, Bwala argued that the cardinal was expressing the views of the Catholic Church and not speaking on behalf of all Christians in Nigeria. He also claimed that the Catholic institution largely supported Labour Party presidential candidate Peter Obi during the 2023 presidential election.

According to Bwala, the cardinal’s comments were political rather than spiritual and did not reflect the opinions of all Catholic faithful.

“Cardinal Onaiyekan wasn’t speaking for Christians; he was speaking for Catholics, the very institutions rooting for Peter Obi. In fact, likely the institution where Peter Obi also said in 2022, ‘Take back your country.’ Therefore, the Cardinal is more political than spiritual. And not all Catholic members are supporting Peter Obi,” he wrote.

Bwala also defended President Tinubu’s response to the Catholic bishops’ assessment of the nation’s economy, arguing that the President was entitled to disagree based on available economic data.

“The President was well within his right to disagree with their assertion regarding Nigeria’s economy based purely on facts, statistics and numbers considered within the proper context,” he stated.

He further accused the cleric of applying a different standard to members of the church, suggesting that religious leaders often encourage worshippers to make positive declarations despite difficult circumstances.

“Ironically, the same priest would rebuke their members if they said, ‘We are suffering’ or ‘We are poor.’ They would instead tell them to declare, ‘We are doing great’ or ‘We are rich,’ even when they are facing hardship,” Bwala added.

The presidential aide maintained that there is a broader Christian body comprising various denominations, including the Catholic Church and the Catholic Bishops’ Conference, and argued that such organisations should remain politically neutral.

“There is a body comprising all Christians, including the Catholics and the Catholic Bishops’ Conference, and that body’s position is neutral and should remain so; otherwise, it becomes political,” he said.

The exchange follows renewed public debate over the role of religious leaders in commenting on governance and national affairs.

Yusuf, who made the allegations during a town hall meeting convened by the Kautal Pulaaku Fulbe Association of Nigeria, KPFAN, on Saturday, said operatives of security agencies in the council go on raids alongside local Irigwe youths where they attack innocent herders, kill them and rustle their cattle.

While speaking during the meeting, Yusuf said the practice has been going on for years and has gotten worse in recent times.

“What has been happening in Bassa and other parts of Plateau State is a very worrisome situation.

“You will be surprised to hear that security personnel connive with local Irigwe militants to attack Fulani herdsmen during raids on Fulani communities,” he said.

He further alleged that during such raids, some of which end up with casualties, cows are seized from the communities while the owners are later made to pay huge amounts of money to get them back.

“Our cattle are seized and stolen from us and taken to a military camp for days, weeks and sometimes months without an iota of reason for farm encroachment whatsoever.

“We will then have to pay huge sums of money to get them back from the security people. We, the Fulani herders, face severe economic backwardness as a result of this. We deserve protection as much as others,” Yusuf said.

He further alleged that on July 30th, some Fulani herders were attacked by armed Irigwe youths along with some security personnel, during which six cows were killed and others severely injured in an unprovoked attack at Ancha village in the LGA, while a herdsman identified as Muhammadu Rebo was killed while grazing peacefully without encroaching on any farmland.