The Presidency has dismissed recent comments by Archbishop Emeritus of the Catholic Archdiocese of Abuja, Cardinal John Onaiyekan, on the Tinubu administration and the 2027 general election, describing them as political rather than spiritual.

Special Adviser to the President on Policy Communication, Daniel Bwala, made the remarks on Saturday in a post on his X handle while responding to the Cardinal’s concerns that the administration of President Bola Tinubu was bent on winning the 2027 election “by all means.”

Cardinal Onaiyekan had, during an appearance on Arise Television’s Prime Time on Friday, expressed fears that the credibility of future elections could be undermined if Nigeria failed to reform its electoral system. He also questioned the neutrality of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), despite President Tinubu’s assurances regarding the electoral body’s independence.

The cleric warned that the administration appeared determined to retain power at all costs, arguing that the deployment of the advantages of incumbency could erode public confidence in the electoral process.

Reacting, Bwala argued that Onaiyekan was expressing a political opinion that did not represent the views of all Christians in Nigeria.

“Cardinal Onaiyekan wasn’t speaking for Christians; he was speaking for Catholics,” Bwala wrote, alleging that the Catholic institution was rooting for Nigeria Democratic Congress( NDC)presidential candidate, Peter Obi.

He further claimed that not all Catholics supported Obi, adding that the Cardinal was being “more political than spiritual.”

The presidential aide also defended President Tinubu’s response to criticisms of his administration’s economic performance, insisting that the President was entitled to disagree with the Cardinal’s…