File: Former Rivers State Governor and ex-Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi

Former Rivers State Governor and ex-Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, has urged President Bola Tinubu and his aides to stop what he described as attacks on the Catholic Church and the Christian faith over recent comments made by John Cardinal Onaiyekan.

Amaechi made the remarks on Tuesday during an appearance on Channels Television’s Politics Today, saying he suspended his period of mourning for his late mother to address what he considered disrespectful comments directed at the Catholic Church by officials of the Presidency.

“I came here simply to say, please ask the President to stop insulting the Catholic Church, to stop insulting Christians. They should respect God and respect the Christian faith. They should stop insulting Christians,” Amaechi said.

The former minister stressed that his intervention was not politically motivated but was driven solely by his concern over what he described as persistent attacks on Christian leaders.

“I’m not here to discuss politics. What I’m going to discuss is that they should leave the Catholic Church alone. They should respect God and respect the Christian faith,” he said.

Amaechi said he had deep respect for both Christianity and Islam, warning political leaders against making statements capable of widening religious divisions in the country.

According to him, criticism directed at Cardinal Onaiyekan amounted to an attack on his Christian faith.

“I don’t believe in religious differences. If you come to my house and you’re a Muslim, there is a place for Muslims to worship. If you’re a Christian, there is a chapel for Christians to worship. I believe in that, but not to insult my God,” he said.

He argued that similar remarks would not have been directed at a leading Islamic cleric if the situation had involved the Muslim community.

“If the Sultan had confronted the President, would they have insulted him? We’ve been insulted because we are Christians,” Amaechi said.

The former Rivers governor also defended the leadership of the Catholic Church, describing Catholic bishops as accomplished scholars who deserved respect.

“You can’t be a Catholic priest without studying. You can’t become a bishop without proper qualifications. They should respect our bishops,” he said.

Asked whether he expected an apology from President Tinubu or the Presidency, Amaechi said that decision rested entirely with the Catholic bishops.

“That is their business. If the bishops demand that, fine. But that is their business,” he said.

He further cautioned politicians against exploiting religion for political purposes, warning that such actions could inflame tensions in a country with deep religious diversity.

The controversy followed recent exchanges between the Presidency and Cardinal Onaiyekan after the cleric recounted a meeting with President Tinubu in which he said he expressed concerns over Nigeria’s worsening economic hardship and insecurity.

Following the Cardinal’s account, presidential aides publicly challenged aspects of his comments, drawing criticism from sections of the Christian community, who viewed the responses as disrespectful to both the Cardinal and the Catholic Church.

Amaechi urged the Presidency to refrain from further attacks on the church, insisting that disagreements with religious leaders should not degenerate into insults directed at Christianity.

“I think they have no respect for the Catholic Church. I think they have no respect for the Christian faith,” he said.

Amaechi, who is the vice-presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress for 2027, said, “When it’s time for politics, we’re ready to abuse anybody and descend as low as they want,” he stated.