Onaiyekan Warns Against Election Manipulation, Accuses Tinubu Government Of ‘Winning By All Means’.

 

Cardinal John Onaiyekan, former Archbishop of Abuja, has accused the administration of President Bola Tinubu of being determined to retain power “by all means”, warning that such an approach could pose a threat to Nigeria’s democracy.

Onaiyekan raised the concern on Friday, July 31, during an interview on Prime Time on Arise Television.

The cardinal said the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Nigeria (CBCN) discussed concerns about the credibility of future elections when its leadership recently met with President Tinubu.

“We are worried about the fact that we see clearly that our government is bent on winning by all means,” Onaiyekan said.

He expressed concern that the government had access to significant resources that could potentially influence electoral outcomes, warning that even a free and fair voting process might not guarantee that citizens’ votes would ultimately determine the result.

“Unfortunately, they have a lot of means at their disposal to win. Even if we had a free and fair election, the votes of the people may not count,” he added.

According to the former archbishop, elections that are not conducted freely and fairly could create serious difficulties for the country and weaken public confidence in democratic institutions.

Onaiyekan said the bishops also used their meeting with the President to present what they considered the realities confronting Nigerians.

He expressed concern that some individuals around Tinubu were allegedly presenting an overly positive picture of the country’s situation to the President.

“And that is one of the things that worries us, that there are so many people hanging around Mr President giving a rosy picture of what the country is, which it is not,” he said.

The cardinal’s comments came days after the Catholic bishops met with President Tinubu at the State House in Abuja.

During the meeting, Tinubu defended his administration’s performance, maintaining that Nigeria’s economy was stabilising.

The President also reaffirmed the neutrality of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), amid growing concerns and political debate over the credibility of future elections.

Onaiyekan’s warning adds to calls from religious leaders and political stakeholders for stronger safeguards to ensure that future elections are transparent, credible and reflective of the will of Nigerian voters.