Special Adviser to President Bola Tinubu on Policy Communication, Daniel Bwala, has said Cardinal John Onaiyekan was speaking for Catholics and not the entire Christian community in his comments on the state of the nation.

Bwala stated this in a post on his X handle while reacting to the controversy surrounding Onaiyekan’s television interview after the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Nigeria’s meeting with President Tinubu.

The presidential aide alleged that the Catholic institution had shown support for the presidential candidate of the Labour Party, Mr Peter Obi, during the 2023 general election, arguing that the Cardinal’s comments should be viewed from that perspective.

“Cardinal Onaiyekan wasn’t speaking for Christians; he was speaking for Catholics, the very institution rooting for Peter Obi. In fact, likely the institution where Peter Obi also said in 2022, ‘Take back your country.’ Therefore, Cardinal is more political than spiritual,” Bwala stated.

He added that not all Catholic faithful support Obi, stressing that the views expressed by the Cardinal did not represent the position of every member of the church.

Bwala defended President Tinubu’s response to the bishops’ assessment of the country’s economic situation, saying the President was entitled to disagree based on available facts, statistics and data.

“The President was well within his right to disagree with their assertion as regards Nigeria’s economy based purely on facts, statistics and numbers put into context,” he said.

The presidential aide also criticised what he described as a contradiction in some religious teachings, saying some clerics encourage members to maintain a positive outlook despite personal challenges.

He argued that there is a broader Christian body comprising different denominations, including Catholics, whose position remains neutral and should not be turned into a political platform.

“There is a body comprising all Christians, including the Catholics and Catholic Bishops Conference, and that body’s position is neutral and should be so; otherwise, it is political,” Bwala added.

Leaders of the Social Democratic Party, SDP, have welcomed the confirmation of Prince Adewole Adebayo as the party’s presidential candidate for the 2027 general election by the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC.

The party described the development as a significant milestone ahead of the 2027 presidential election, following INEC’s publication of the final list of presidential candidates, and expressed confidence in its chances at the polls.

In a statement, the Chairman of the SDP in Delta State, Felix Obuseh, said the publication of Adebayo’s name by INEC had boosted the confidence of party members and supporters across the country.

Obuseh said the party would continue mobilising support for its presidential candidate ahead of the election.

Also reacting, the Chairman of the SDP in Zamfara State, Bilal Aliyu Gusau, congratulated Adebayo on his confirmation by INEC and wished him a successful campaign.

Similarly, Cotterell Tumbodiaa described the confirmation of Adebayo and his running mate as an important step in the party’s preparations for the 2027 presidential election.

He expressed hope that the SDP would offer Nigerians a credible alternative and wished the party’s presidential candidate success in the campaign.

The reactions followed INEC’s publication of the names of candidates cleared to contest the 2027 presidential election, including Adebayo as the SDP flag bearer.

National Publicity Secretary of the Nigeria Democratic Congress, NDC, Osa Director, says Nigerians should should trust the party with their votes in the 2027 general elections because it is a credible platform for national leadership.

Featuring in an interview on Symfoni TV on Saturday, Director highlighted the contribution and qualifications of the key figures in the party.

According to him, NDC’s consistency and commitment to societal betterment makes it a reliable choice for voters.

“Nigerians should choose the NDC with their vote because that is the alternative platform to rescue this nation for the best.

“What do I mean by alternative platform? We are politicians that have verifiable pedigree, not people you don’t know where they come from or the school they attended.

“NDC will not set the Ministry of Education on fire because you ask for their certificate.

“You have people like Peter Obi, Rabi’u Kwankwaso and Senator Seriaki Dickson. These are three major people piloting the affairs now, and the national chairman, Senator Moses Cleopas, and then some of us are also there.You can check us out. Our pedigree and consistency.

“These are people who have offered something to the Nigerian society. These are people who can stand by what they believe in come rain come shine,” he said.