Former Abia State Governor and Senator representing Abia North, Orji Uzor Kalu, has commended the meeting between President Bola Tinubu and the leadership of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Nigeria (CBCN), describing it as a positive step towards strengthening democracy and promoting national development.

In a statement, Kalu said sincere engagement between government and respected institutions remains essential to nation-building in every thriving democracy.

He noted that the Catholic Church has continued to play a significant role in promoting justice, peace, moral values and national unity, while acknowledging the enormous responsibility President Tinubu bears in steering the country through economic and security challenges.

According to the senator, open and honest dialogue between the government and critical stakeholders provides an opportunity to exchange ideas, reflect on national issues and work collectively in the interest of Nigerians.

Kalu urged that constructive criticism should be embraced in good faith, while government efforts to address the country’s challenges should also be assessed fairly and objectively.

He stressed that Nigerians should prioritise unity and progress over division, irrespective of political, religious or ethnic differences.

“Our collective goal should not be division but progress. Regardless of political, religious or ethnic differences, we must continue to support every sincere effort that will strengthen our democracy, improve the economy, enhance security and give hope to our people,” he said.

The lawmaker added that nation-building is a shared responsibility, expressing optimism that Nigerians can work together to build a peaceful, prosperous and united country.

“Nigeria belongs to all of us, and together we can build the peaceful, prosperous and united nation we desire,” he said.

By Luminous Jannamike

The African Democratic Congress (ADC) on Monday declared that Nigerians, not former President Olusegun Obasanjo, would determine the outcome of the 2027 presidential election, accusing the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) of hiding behind attacks on its presidential candidate, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, to avoid accounting for President Bola Tinubu’s record on the economy, insecurity and the rising cost of living.

According to the opposition party, millions of Nigerians are more concerned about the hardship they face daily than political personalities, insisting that the real contest in 2027 will be over the Tinubu administration’s performance rather than anyone’s opinion of Atiku.

The position was contained in a statement by the ADC National Publicity Secretary, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, who accused the APC of becoming increasingly desperate after Catholic Bishops criticised the state of the nation during their recent meeting with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

Rather than respond to the issues raised, he said, the ruling party had chosen to amplify Obasanjo’s remarks about Atiku while attacking those questioning its performance.

“The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has observed the All Progressives Congress (APC)’s increasingly desperate obsession with our presidential candidate, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar.

“Unable to defend its catastrophic record after the Catholic Bishops laid bare the true state of the nation during their recent meeting with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu the APC has shamelessly seized on comments by former President Olusegun Obasanjo in a desperate attempt to shift the national conversation and shift attention from their terrible performance in the last three years,” Abdullahi said.

The ADC also faulted the APC’s response to concerns over worsening poverty, insecurity and the soaring cost of living, accusing the party of attacking critics instead of addressing the issues they raised.

“We note how, rather than answer the Bishops’ concerns about worsening poverty, insecurity and the cost of living, the ruling party has chosen instead to attack the messengers, whose only offence is that they spoke truthfully and bursted their bubble of propaganda and self-deception,” the statement added.

The opposition party said the pattern had become the APC’s default response whenever respected Nigerians criticised the administration.

“This has become a familiar pattern. Whenever respected Nigerians point to the deepening poverty, worsening insecurity, rising cost of living, or the collapse of public confidence under this administration, the APC never answers for its record. Instead, it looks for someone to attack.

“Yesterday, it was the Catholic Bishops. Today, it is Alhaji Atiku Abubakar. Tomorrow, it will be someone else,” the ADC said.

Turning to Obasanjo’s comments, the party maintained that while the former president was entitled to his personal opinion, such views could not erase what it described as the economic record of the administration in which Atiku served as vice president and Chairman of the National Economic Council.

“Former President Olusegun Obasanjo is entitled to his personal opinion of Alhaji Atiku Abubakar. Every Nigerian, including former presidents, enjoys that democratic right. But opinions do not erase records,” it argued.

The statement said Nigeria experienced stronger economic growth, greater macroeconomic stability, stronger investor confidence and a more affordable cost of living during that period than under the current administration, adding that whatever political differences now existed between Obasanjo and Atiku, those achievements remained part of the country’s history.

The ADC further challenged the Federal Government to explain why food prices and the cost of basic necessities had continued to rise despite official claims of economic growth, why more Nigerians had fallen into poverty, why economic growth had failed to create jobs, why borrowing had continued to increase, why debt servicing now consumed a significant share of government revenue, and why many communities remained under constant threat from bandits, terrorists and kidnappers.

“It is time that the APC and their government took a break from attacking Atiku and the Bishops to answer a few important questions,” the statement said.

“Why has the prices of food and basic necessities continue to soar despite proclaimed economic growth? Why have more Nigerians fallen into poverty under your watch than at any other period in Nigeria’s history? Why have you failed to translate your so-called economic growth into jobs? Why have you borrowed more money than any other government in the nation’s history with nothing to show for it? Why is your government spending 69% of its revenue just to service debts… Can the APC explain why communities across the country continue to live under the constant threat of bandits, terrorists and kidnappers while hundreds are still held in kidnappers’ den?”

The ADC maintained that those, rather than political personalities or individual opinions, were the issues that would shape the 2027 presidential election.

“Ultimately, the election will not be decided by the opinion of any one individual. It will be decided by the lived experience of more than 200 million Nigerians who are poorer, more insecure, and more uncertain about their future than they were before the Tinubu administration took office,” the party said.

The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has said the outcome of the 2027 presidential election will be decided by Nigerians, not by the personal opinion of former President Olusegun Obasanjo.

In a statement issued on Monday by its National Publicity Secretary, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, the ADC accused the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) of focusing on comments made by Obasanjo about the party’s presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, instead of responding to growing concerns over the country’s economic situation.

The party said the election would be determined by the daily experiences of Nigerians under the current administration, particularly on issues such as the economy, insecurity and the rising cost of living.

According to the party, the APC turned attention to Obasanjo’s remarks after Catholic Bishops criticised the state of the nation during their recent meeting with President Bola Tinubu.

“The APC has become obsessed with our presidential candidate, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar. Instead of defending its record after the Catholic Bishops spoke about the state of the nation, it has chosen to use former President Olusegun Obasanjo’s comments to divert attention from its performance over the last three years,” Abdullahi said.

The ADC also accused the ruling party of attacking critics rather than addressing the issues they raise.

“Whenever respected Nigerians speak about worsening poverty, insecurity, the rising cost of living or the loss of public confidence, the APC does not answer for its record. Instead, it looks for someone to attack. Yesterday it was the Catholic Bishops, today it is Atiku Abubakar, tomorrow it will be someone else,” the statement said.

On Obasanjo’s remarks, the opposition party said the former president was entitled to his personal views but argued that such opinions could not erase Atiku’s record in government.

“During the administration in which Atiku Abubakar served as Vice President and Chairman of the National Economic Council, Nigeria experienced stronger economic growth, greater investor confidence and a more affordable cost of living than it does under the current administration,” the party said.

The party also challenged the Federal Government to explain why food prices continue to rise despite claims of economic growth, why more Nigerians have fallen into poverty, why unemployment remains high, why government borrowing has increased and why insecurity continues in many parts of the country.

The ADC insisted that these issues, rather than the views of any individual, would shape the choice Nigerians make in the next presidential election.

“The 2027 presidential election will not be determined by the opinion of any individual but by the daily realities of over 200 million Nigerians who, today, are poorer, face greater insecurity and are more uncertain about their future than they were before the Tinubu administration came into office,” the party said.