The Middle Belt Forum (MBF) has declared its support for Cardinal John Onaiyekan and the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Nigeria (CBCN) following the bishops’ recent meeting with President Bola Tinubu, describing their concerns over the country’s economic and security challenges as a truthful reflection of the realities facing many Nigerians.
In a statement issued by its National Spokesman, Luka Binniyat, the socio-cultural organisation condemned what it described as attacks on Cardinal Onaiyekan after he commented publicly on the outcome of the meeting between the bishops and the President at the Presidential Villa in Abuja.
The MBF said it stood firmly with the former Archbishop of Abuja and the CBCN, arguing that their remarks on poverty, insecurity and the rising cost of living should not be politicised.
According to the forum, the bishops had used their engagement with President Tinubu to express concerns that many of the administration’s economic policies had deepened hardship and failed to significantly improve security. While the President maintained that his administration’s reforms were beginning to yield positive results, Cardinal Onaiyekan later said the President appeared not to be receiving accurate information about the conditions facing ordinary Nigerians.
The MBF maintained that Onaiyekan’s comments reflected the experiences of millions of Nigerians rather than partisan politics.
“Cardinal Onaiyekan merely echoed what millions of Nigerians experience every day. He spoke neither as a politician nor as an opposition figure,” the forum said, adding that speaking out against poverty, insecurity and human suffering was both a moral obligation and a patriotic duty.
The group urged the Federal Government to pay close attention to the concerns raised by the Catholic bishops instead of dismissing them, saying constructive engagement would better serve the nation’s interest.
The statement comes amid a wider debate over comments made by Cardinal Onaiyekan after the CBCN’s meeting with President Tinubu. While some government officials criticised the cleric’s remarks, several groups have rallied in his defence, insisting that his observations accurately reflect the economic and security challenges confronting many Nigerians.
