A chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Niger State, Jonathan Vatsa, has thrown his weight behind the Catholic Bishops of Nigeria over their recent assessment of the country’s economic and security situation, insisting that their concerns about widespread poverty, hardship and insecurity reflect the daily realities confronting millions of Nigerians.
Vatsa said the Catholic bishops spoke with courage and sincerity when they drew President Bola Tinubu’s attention to the worsening living conditions across the country, stressing that religious leaders have a moral obligation to speak for the poor and vulnerable.
In a statement issued in Minna on Wednesday, the former Niger State Commissioner for Information, Culture and Tourism criticised what he described as attempts by presidential spokespersons Daniel Bwala and Bayo Onanuga to discredit the bishops, warning that such attacks could alienate many Christians and undermine the administration’s efforts to build national consensus.
According to him, rather than faulting the clerics, the Presidency should reflect on the substance of their message and respond with policies capable of easing the hardship facing ordinary Nigerians.
“The Catholic bishops did not visit the Presidency to seek appointments, contracts or political favours. They went there to speak for millions of Nigerians who can no longer afford three meals a day, whose communities are under siege by criminals, and whose families have been forced to sell their possessions to pay ransom,” Vatsa said.
He maintained that anyone denying the existence of extreme poverty, hunger and insecurity was detached from the realities across the country.
“Religious leaders cannot remain silent while the people they shepherd are overwhelmed by hardship. They owe Nigerians the responsibility of speaking truth to power whenever the situation demands it,” he added.
Vatsa described the public criticism of the bishops as unnecessary, arguing that constructive observations from respected religious leaders should be welcomed rather than politicised.
He also expressed concern over comments directed at former Archbishop of Abuja, Cardinal John Onaiyekan, saying those occupying public office must demonstrate greater respect for institutions that have consistently advocated peace, justice and national unity.
The APC stalwart challenged presidential aides to undertake visits to communities devastated by insecurity and economic hardship, beginning with Borno and extending to Niger State, if they doubted the bishops’ assessment of the nation’s condition.
He cited the struggles of internally displaced persons, farmers forced off their lands by insecurity, pensioners battling economic hardship and families grappling with soaring food prices as evidence that the concerns raised by the bishops were rooted in everyday realities.
According to Vatsa, no administration should dismiss honest criticism from credible national voices, especially when such interventions are intended to improve governance and draw attention to the suffering of citizens.
He urged President Tinubu to rein in officials whose public comments, he said, risk creating unnecessary friction with the Christian community, insisting that dialogue and mutual respect remain essential to national cohesion.
“The bishops have spoken for the voiceless. Instead of attacking them, government officials should listen carefully to their message and address the issues they have raised. That is what leadership demands,” Vatsa said.