The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, has said religious leaders have a responsibility to hold government accountable through constructive criticism, but he warned that repeated criticism targeted at only one side of the political divide could create perceptions of bias and make it difficult for the public to see such interventions as objective.
In an interview the cardinal and former archbishop of Abuja, John Onaiyekan, said those around President Bola Tinubu are painting a “rosy picture” of the country to him, contrary to the true picture of the state of the nation.
Speaking during a media parley on Tuesday, Wike reacted to John Onaiyekan’s interview, he noted that religious leaders and elders should not shy away from making comments about government.
He said, “I have always said this, as it relates to religious leaders and our elders, that they should not shy away from making comments about government because if comments are not made about government, government will not know the areas where it should concentrate and focus. Therefore, government is available to receive comments.
“But when comments consistently target a particular section, the government, or even government figures, becomes quiet. If you are a religious leader and it is very clear that your comments are one-sided, it becomes difficult for people to believe those positions as being accurate.
He noted that he is aware of the position of Cardinal Onaiyekan. He said that while people criticise the government, they should also praise it when it “has done this well.”
He also noted that “if your comments increase by a large percentage, government will worry about you. Government will begin to think that you are merely criticising because you oppose the government.
“Do you know what happened during 2023? He took sides. So for anybody to tell me this person is not impartial, no. We know what has happened in this country; we know who belongs to where.”