The controversy surrounding comments made by John Onaiyekan after a meeting with President Bola Tinubu has continued, with Rotimi Amaechi accusing the Presidency of disrespecting the Catholic Church and the Christian faith.
Speaking during a television interview, Amaechi defended Onaiyekan’s decision to publicly discuss issues raised during the meeting between the President and Catholic bishops, arguing that the engagement was not a private conversation as it was held in the presence of journalists and cameras.
He said the bishops met with the President to express concerns about the state of the nation, the economy and the credibility of the electoral process ahead of the general election.
Amaechi criticised the response from some presidential aides, insisting that religious leaders should not be attacked for expressing their views on national issues.
He maintained that Catholic bishops and cardinals occupy highly respected positions and should be treated with the same regard as senior public officials.
The former governor of Rivers State also compared the reaction to the criticism faced by the Muhammadu Buhari administration from Catholic leaders over insecurity, saying the church was not subjected to similar attacks at the time.
Amaechi urged the government to respect religious institutions and avoid statements he described as offensive to the Catholic Church and the Christian faith.
