By SUNTV Global Channel | August 4, 2026
Former Minister of Transportation and African Democratic Congress (ADC) vice-presidential candidate, Rotimi Amaechi, has accused President Bola Ahmed Tinubu of showing disrespect to the Catholic Church and the Christian faith, alleging that supporters of the administration are targeting church leaders for criticising the government’s handling of the economy and security.
Amaechi made the remarks during an appearance on Politics Today, a current affairs programme aired on Channels Television.
During the interview, the former Rivers State governor argued that religious leaders have a constitutional and moral responsibility to speak out on issues affecting Nigerians, including economic hardship, poverty and insecurity.
He alleged that the Catholic Church was being unfairly criticised for expressing concerns about the country’s challenges and insisted that Christian leaders should not be intimidated into silence.
Amaechi also questioned whether similar reactions would have occurred if comparable criticism had come from Muslim religious leaders, maintaining that Christians were being unfairly targeted whenever they spoke against government policies.
Speaking on national unity, the former minister said he does not believe in politics based on religion or ethnicity. He cited his personal relationship with people of different faiths, noting that Muslim members of his household have a designated place of worship in his home.
The comments come days after a public disagreement between the Presidency and Cardinal John Onaiyekan, following the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Nigeria’s meeting with President Tinubu over the country’s economic and security situation.
The Presidency had criticised the Cardinal after he publicly discussed aspects of the closed-door meeting, while some government officials and allies accused him of making politically motivated remarks.
As of the time of this report, the Presidency had not issued any fresh response to Amaechi’s latest comments.
Source: Channels Television interview and public statements.
