2027: Onaiyekan Says Tinubu Administration Appears Determined to Retain Power

Cardinal John Onaiyekan, former Archbishop of Abuja, has expressed concern that President Bola Tinubu's administration appears determined to secure victory in the 2027 general elections by every available means. He warned that the government's access to significant state resources could undermine the credibility of the electoral process.

The cardinal also said that individuals close to the president were presenting an overly optimistic picture of the country's condition, which, in his view, does not reflect the daily realities faced by many Nigerians.

Onaiyekan made the remarks on Friday during an interview on Prime Time on Arise Television, shortly after a delegation of the Catholic Bishops' Conference of Nigeria (CBCN) met with President Tinubu at the State House in Abuja.

The delegation, led by CBCN President Archbishop Matthew Ndagoso, presented the bishops' assessment of the nation's challenges, highlighting concerns over economic hardship and the general state of the country.

In response, President Tinubu defended his administration's performance, maintaining that the economy was stabilising, prolonged strikes by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) had ended, and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) remained neutral. He also suggested that his political opponents were hindered by uncertainty within their own ranks.

Reflecting on the meeting, Onaiyekan said the bishops intentionally presented an honest assessment of the country's situation, stressing that many Nigerians continue to face severe economic hardship.

He noted that the president and several government officials appeared uncomfortable with the message, suggesting it differed from the positive reports they often receive.

"We knew that this is different from the kind of statements that our president keeps receiving from all kinds of people," Onaiyekan said. "There are so many people hanging around Mr. President giving a rosy picture of what the country is, which it is not."

According to the cardinal, the bishops considered it their responsibility to present the realities confronting ordinary Nigerians, even if those realities were difficult for the president to accept.

Onaiyekan said President Tinubu disagreed with the bishops' assessment, insisting that the country was not "bleeding" and that the economy was improving.

The former archbishop also expressed concern about the integrity of future elections, particularly the 2027 polls. He said the bishops feared the government was determined to retain power and warned that the extensive resources at its disposal could affect the credibility of the electoral process.

"We are worried about the fact that we see clearly that our government is bent on winning by all means," he said. "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 cautioned that any failure to conduct free, fair, and credible elections that reflect the will of the Nigerian people could create serious challenges for the country's democratic future.