I’ll Quit APC Day Tinubu Disrespects Opposition, Catholic Church — Orji Kalu

• Orji Kalu says he will leave the APC if President Tinubu ever undermines opposition Politics or disrespects the Catholic Church, insisting the President remains committed to democratic values.

• The Abia North senator rejects claims that Tinubu’s “all is fair in Politics” remark signalled support for electoral manipulation, describing it as a misrepresentation of the President’s position.

• Kalu dismisses allegations that Tinubu insulted the Catholic bishops, saying the President values the Church’s role as the nation’s moral conscience and welcomes its counsel.

• The former governor says the bishops were right to raise concerns over insecurity, hardship and governance, but insists their engagement with Tinubu reflected mutual respect rather than confrontation.

August 5, () — Abia North Senator and former Governor of Abia State, Orji Uzor Kalu, has strongly defended President Bola Tinubu against allegations that he disrespected the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Nigeria (CBCN) and opposition voices, declaring that he would resign from the All Progressives Congress (APC) the day the President abandons democratic principles or shows contempt for the Catholic Church.

Kalu made the declaration on Wednesday during an appearance on Politics Today, a MEDIA TODAY programme, while reacting to the controversy surrounding President Tinubu’s recent meeting with leaders of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Nigeria at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

The lawmaker dismissed criticisms arising from President Tinubu’s reported remark that “all is fair in Politics”, insisting that the statement should not be interpreted as an endorsement of electoral malpractice or intolerance of opposition parties.

“I’ll resign from the APC any day President Tinubu disrespects the opposition or the Catholic Church”, Kalu declared.

‘Tinubu Believes In Democracy, Not Political Intimidation’

Responding to concerns raised by the Catholic bishops that the President’s reported comment could reinforce fears about the credibility of the 2027 general election, Kalu insisted Tinubu’s position had been misunderstood.

According to him, the President was merely acknowledging the competitive nature of Politics and was not suggesting that elections should be manipulated or won at all costs.

He maintained that Tinubu has built his political career on democratic ideals and has consistently accommodated opposition Politics throughout his years in public office.

Kalu said he had absolute confidence that the President would neither suppress opposition voices nor undermine the integrity of future elections.

He stressed that if Tinubu ever departed from those democratic principles, he would have no reason to remain in the APC.

‘Tinubu Never Insulted The Catholic Church’

The senator also dismissed allegations by former Minister of Transportation and African Democratic Congress (ADC) vice-presidential candidate, Rotimi Amaechi, that President Tinubu insulted Cardinal John Onaiyekan or disrespected the Catholic Church during the controversy that followed the bishops’ meeting.

“For me, Tinubu is not an enemy of the Catholic bishops. He’s one of their best friends, and I don’t feel insulted. Tinubu in no way insulted the Catholic bishops. I didn’t see it,” Kalu said.

He argued that the Catholic Church has, over the decades, remained the conscience of the nation by speaking truth to power regardless of which political party is in government.

“This is not the first time that the Catholic Church is going to President Tinubu. In every country—from the Democratic Republic of Congo to Angola, South Africa and elsewhere—the Catholic Church and other churches are always the conscience of the nation,” he said.

According to Kalu, the Catholic Bishops’ Conference has, since the era of military rule, consistently issued communiqués assessing the state of the nation and offering guidance to governments. He added that President Tinubu has always granted audiences to Catholic bishops because he values their perspectives.

“Any president dodging Catholic bishops is dodging himself because what politicians cannot tell the President, the Catholic bishops will say it”, he stated.

Background To The Controversy

The controversy stems from the July 28 meeting between President Tinubu and a delegation of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Nigeria, led by Archbishop Matthew Man-Oso Ndagoso.

During the meeting, the bishops raised concerns over worsening insecurity, economic hardship, inflation and unemployment. They also expressed growing anxiety among many Christians over the emergence of a Muslim-Muslim presidency, urging the Federal Government to implement deliberate policies that would reassure Christians of their equal status under the Constitution and guarantee their freedom to practise their faith.

The bishops further called for the return of mission schools to their original owners, urged the government to uphold constitutional guarantees on religious freedom, and warned against what they described as the creeping danger of a one-party dominant state.

Archbishop Ndagoso also appealed to President Tinubu to strengthen democratic institutions and ensure that the 2027 general election is transparent, free, fair and credible, warning that any electoral process falling short of those standards could have grave consequences for the country.

While acknowledging the government’s efforts in securing the release of kidnapped schoolchildren in Oyo State, the bishops maintained that terrorism, banditry, kidnapping, poor infrastructure, electricity shortages and worsening economic hardship continued to threaten Nigeria’s stability.

The debate intensified after Archbishop Emeritus of Abuja, Cardinal John Onaiyekan, publicly defended the bishops’ concerns, explaining that their warning against a one-party state was linked to the conduct of elections and the increasing use of incumbency advantages.

Questioning the notion that “all is fair in Politics,” the Cardinal argued that democratic competition must remain subject to fairness, integrity and the rule of law, warning that Nigeria could face serious challenges if future elections failed to meet acceptable standards.

The Cardinal’s comments attracted criticism from some presidential aides and government supporters, while opposition figures, including ADC vice-presidential candidate Rotimi Amaechi and Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) presidential candidate Peter Obi, accused the Presidency of attacking the Catholic Church instead of addressing the substantive concerns raised by the bishops.

Kalu, however, maintained that those criticisms misrepresented President Tinubu’s disposition, insisting that the President remains a committed democrat who respects opposition Politics, values the Catholic Church’s contributions to national discourse and welcomes constructive criticism in the interest of good governance.