Former Chairman of the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), Prof. Chidi Odinkalu, has commented on the controversy surrounding the recent meeting between Catholic bishops and President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, saying religious leaders in Nigeria differ in their responses to political power.
In a post on his X account, Odinkalu reacted to the debate sparked by remarks attributed to John Cardinal Onaiyekan after a closed-door meeting between members of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Nigeria and President Tinubu. The cardinal reportedly said the President was surrounded by people presenting an overly optimistic view of the country’s economic and security situation, drawing criticism from presidential aides, including Daniel Bwala.
“Nigeria has a lot of bishops of all hues. Some are fake, others are real; some can be rented for the price of political tithe, some others do not have a price,” Odinkalu wrote.
He added that while some religious leaders support whichever government is in power, others remain consistent regardless of the political climate.
Odinkalu also announced he would join veteran broadcaster Jimi Disu on a programme on Thursday to discuss what he described as the evolution of Daniel Bwala’s political positions, particularly his shift from criticising the APC’s Muslim-Muslim presidential ticket to defending the government in the dispute involving Cardinal Onaiyekan.
