Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Minister, Nyesom Wike, has alleged that Archbishop Emeritus of the Catholic Archdiocese of Abuja, John Onaiyekan, is backing one of the candidates expected to contest the 2027 presidential election.
Wike made the allegation during a media chat with selected journalists in Abuja on Tuesday, claiming that the cleric’s political preference was widely known.
According to the minister, Onaiyekan and some other religious leaders openly took sides during the 2023 general elections and are doing the same ahead of the 2027 polls.
“I’m aware of Cardinal Onaiyekan’s position. It’s not hidden who he supports. Everybody knows that.
“In 2023, religious leaders took sides. It was very open,” Wike said.
The FCT minister made the remarks while reacting to the controversy surrounding Onaiyekan’s decision to disclose what transpired during a recent closed-door meeting between President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the Catholic Bishops Conference of Nigeria, CBCN.
Wike alleged that the cardinal’s comments reflected a partisan position on the state of the nation, arguing that such a stance could undermine public confidence in the neutrality of religious leaders.
“If a religious leader is perceived or seen to be taking a side and it’s very clear, it becomes difficult for people to see those comments as helpful or real,” he said.
