A chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Lagos State, Seye Oladejo, has criticised recent comments by Catholic cleric Bishop John Onaiyekan on the administration of President Bola Tinubu, saying the cleric’s interventions increasingly mirror opposition political narratives rather than the impartial moral voice expected of a respected religious leader.

In a statement on Wednesday, Oladejo said while religious leaders have a constitutional and moral responsibility to hold governments accountable, their interventions must remain balanced and detached from partisan politics.

“Democracy would be poorer without such voices. The real question is whether his interventions still reflect the detached moral authority expected of a statesman or whether they increasingly mirror the language, priorities and conclusions of partisan opposition politicians,” he said.

The APC chieftain described Onaiyekan as one of Nigeria’s most respected clerics whose decades of service had earned him admiration across religious and political divides, but argued that his latest comments on the Tinubu administration warranted closer scrutiny.

Invoking the biblical account of Jacob and Esau, Oladejo said, “One hears the unmistakable voice of a respected cleric, yet the political fingerprints increasingly resemble those of an opposition that has struggled to gain electoral legitimacy and now seeks validation through influential non-partisan voices.”

He maintained that the Tinubu administration inherited severe economic challenges, including unsustainable fuel subsidies, multiple exchange rates, rising debt service obligations, insecurity, infrastructure deficits and decades of delayed structural reforms.

According to him, the administration chose to implement difficult but necessary reforms rather than postpone hard decisions for political convenience.

“President Tinubu chose reform over convenience. He opted for difficult decisions instead of politically attractive postponements. Predictably, the reforms imposed immediate pain,” Oladejo said.

He argued, however, that there were growing signs the reforms were beginning to produce positive outcomes.

“States now enjoy unprecedented revenues from the Federation Account. Massive investments are underway in transportation, healthcare, agriculture and education. Tax reforms are broadening the revenue base. Security operations have intensified. Foreign investor confidence is gradually returning,” he said.

Oladejo added that while the government had not claimed to have solved all of Nigeria’s economic problems, “these are not declarations of mission accomplished. They are signs that reforms, though painful, are beginning to yield results.”

He accused critics of deliberately overlooking those developments while focusing exclusively on the hardship experienced by Nigerians.

“Every economic hardship is presented as evidence of failure, while every positive indicator is dismissed as irrelevant. Such selective analysis is no longer objective criticism; it becomes political advocacy disguised as moral commentary,” he said.

The APC stalwart also questioned what he described as inconsistency in public criticism of successive administrations.

“Those who now passionately condemn every policy of the Tinubu administration were noticeably restrained when previous governments presided over unprecedented insecurity, runaway subsidy fraud, collapsing refineries, exchange-rate distortions and mounting fiscal irresponsibility. Moral consistency demands equal courage regardless of who occupies Aso Rock,” he stated.

Oladejo said religious leaders occupy a unique position in society because they are trusted to rise above partisan interests.

“Their interventions should unite rather than divide, illuminate rather than inflame, and challenge power without appearing to align with political interests,” he said.

While acknowledging that Nigerians were facing genuine economic hardship, he said the President had repeatedly recognised the sacrifices citizens were making and remained focused on addressing the structural causes of the country’s economic difficulties.

“What distinguishes responsible leadership is not the denial of hardship but the determination to confront the root causes instead of administering temporary political sedatives,” he said.

Oladejo urged Nigerians to assess the Renewed Hope Agenda on its long-term impact rather than short-term discomfort, insisting that history ultimately rewards leaders who confront difficult realities.

He concluded by urging Onaiyekan to maintain the impartiality expected of a national moral voice.

“Nigeria needs prophetic voices. It also needs balanced voices. There is an important difference,” he said.

He added: “When criticism consistently amplifies only one side of the national conversation, the inevitable question becomes unavoidable: Is this still the independent voice of a revered cleric, or has it become another echo in the crowded chamber of opposition politics?”