The former Catholic Archbishop of Abuja, Cardinal John Onaiyekan, has strongly criticised opposition figures seeking to unseat President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in the 2027 general elections, warning that their failure to unite behind a single candidate could inadvertently hand an easy victory back to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
Speaking on Sunday, October 11, 2026, during an address following the first synod session of the Catholic Diocese of Osogbo at Our Lady and St. Kizito Pastoral Centre, Cardinal Onaiyekan stated that key opposition politicians are displaying a lack of strategic foresight and political calculation.
“We all know who the government is, but we don’t know what the alternative is,” Onaiyekan remarked. “Opposition leaders don’t seem to know political arithmetic. It’s not as if, among the so many of them, I don’t have my personal preference, but I’m not happy if I vote my preference, you vote yours, and others vote theirs, splitting the votes into fragmented bits”.
The 82-year-old elder statesman cautioned against losing faith in Nigeria’s democratic process, reiterating that the country is not ready to return to military rule.
However, he emphasized that the core challenge ahead of the 2027 polls is ensuring that voters are presented with a credible, viable alternative capable of challenging the incumbent administration on a unified platform.
Responding to the cleric’s remarks, opposition figures and administration spokespersons offered contrasting viewpoints:
Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, addressed reporters at the State House, Abuja, stating that the administration remains focused on delivering its economic reforms rather than political maneuvering.
“President Bola Tinubu welcomes constructive criticism, but election dynamics are determined by the electorate’s faith in delivered results, not backroom political coalitions,” Onanuga stated.
National Publicity Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Debo Ologunagba, noted in a press conference in Abuja that discussions regarding coalitions remain active.
“We respect His Eminence’s intervention. The opposition understands the mathematical imperative of unity and is actively working on strategic alliances ahead of the campaign cycle,” Ologunagba remarked.
Cardinal Onaiyekan concluded his address by urging opposition figures to move beyond shared discontent with current policies and establish a clear, unified governance plan that reassures Nigerian citizens prior to the opening of official campaign windows.
