Most Bishops are Equivalent to a State Governor’ – Amaechi Says

Most Bishops are Equivalent to a State Governor’ – Amaechi Says

The vice-presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress ADC, Rotimi Amaechi, has defended the right of Catholic bishops to criticise President Bola Tinubu’s administration, saying the Presidency’s response to recent comments by John Onaiyekan amounted to an attempt to intimidate the Church.

Speaking during an interview on Channels Television on Tuesday, Amaechi reacted to the Presidency’s criticism of remarks made by John Onaiyekan, insisting that bishops have every right to speak on issues affecting the country.

According to him, bishops occupy positions of immense responsibility comparable to elected state governors within the Catholic Church.

“Most bishops are equivalent to a state governor. For example, the bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Port Harcourt covers the entire Catholic Church in every village in Rivers State. What does the governor of Rivers State cover? The same thing. Ecclesiastically, the bishop covers every place in Rivers State. Then you look at him and insult him because he has come to see the president,” Amaechi said.

He also defended Cardinal Onaiyekan, saying the cleric’s concerns were motivated by Nigeria’s worsening socio-economic conditions rather than political interests.

“Cardinal Onaiyekan himself supports nobody. I have had several conversations with him. The only thing that pains him is the level of indiscretion, poverty, and corruption in Nigeria. I just think they are trying to intimidate Onaiyekan,” he stated.

Amaechi further argued that criticism from religious leaders should not be seen as hostility toward the government.

Speaking about the 2027 Presidential election, the former Rivers State Governor said his party was ready to replicate whatever President Bola Ahmed Tinubu wants to do in the field.

“Whatever the President wants to do in the field, we will do in the field. For me, I’m not worried about what he wants to do, whether he will wrestle or won’t wrestle; we meet in the field. That is not the issue. The issue is that what the President and his men are doing is insulting to my faith. By the time we start the campaign, we will abuse anybody who is ready to abuse anybody. We will descend as low as they want. The president said all is fair in politics, we will descend to that level.” he said.

“President Tinubu and his aides would not have insulted the Sultan of Sokoto if he had been the one who made the statements by Cardinal Onaiyekan. We’re being insulted because we’re Christians.”

The former Minister of Transportation also addressed concerns over his educational qualifications following the publication of his credentials by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) ahead of the 2027 elections.

“I have classmates in primary school. I can call them now. Alex Otti was my junior at the University of Port Harcourt. I am calling people so you can ask whether I went to university or primary school or secondary school,” Amaechi said.

He also dismissed recent comments by Wike, who claimed that former Vice President Atiku Abubakar chose him as his running mate because of financial considerations.

“I don’t respond to my subordinates. Wike never hired me,” Amaechi said, rejecting the allegation.