Catholic bishops told Tinubu the truth about hunger, insecurity in Nigeria — Kalu

The senator representing Abia North, Orji Uzor Kalu, has defended the Catholic Bishops’ Conference over its comments on hunger and insecurity during a recent meeting with President Bola Tinubu.

Mr Kalu said the bishops gave the president an honest assessment of the country’s situation, describing them as the conscience of the nation.

The former Abia State governor, however, said the challenges confronting Nigerians were not solely the fault of the Tinubu administration, alleging that some politicians often gave the president an inaccurate picture of conditions across the country.

Mr Kalu stated this in a viral video while reacting to the controversy surrounding the disclosure of the outcome of the meeting by the Archbishop Emeritus of the Catholic Archdiocese of Abuja, Cardinal John Onaiyekan.

Defending the bishops, Mr Kalu said their advice was offered in the national interest and should not be interpreted as an attack on the president or his administration.

“The Catholic bishops are the conscience of the country, and once they give advice, their advice is not for or against; it’s just for any sitting president to see things the way it should be,” he said.

Mr Kalu acknowledged that Nigerians were facing genuine economic and security challenges but argued that President Tinubu should not be held responsible for all the country’s problems.

“The Catholic bishops are aware of the situation in the country. There are real difficulties in Nigeria, but they are not President Tinubu’s fault,” he said.

The lawmaker commended the meeting between the Catholic bishops and the president, saying it provided Mr Tinubu with a frank assessment of the realities confronting Nigerians.

“The Catholic bishops’ visit to President Tinubu is a good one. I support it because they are telling him the way it is,” he said.

Mr Kalu also accused politicians of misleading the president by presenting an overly positive picture of the situation across the country.

He said the bishops’ intervention could encourage Mr Tinubu to work harder to address the challenges facing Nigerians.

“It promotes the president to work harder because the Catholic bishops are just telling him the way it is. Even if politicians are lying to him that things are good everywhere, they can never say that,” he said.

“Even if we politicians can lie to him, the bishops will tell him the truth about the current reality of the country,” he added.