Former Rivers State Governor and ex-Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, has defended the right of religious leaders to speak out against government policies, insisting that they have a responsibility to criticise authorities whenever necessary.
Amaechi made the remarks during an interview on Channels Television while reacting to the recent controversy surrounding comments by Catholic bishops on the administration of President Bola Tinubu.
According to him, religious leaders should not be discouraged from speaking the truth, stressing that if they remain silent, there may be no one left to hold leaders accountable.
“If they don’t, who else can? Didn’t he listen to the Pope? The Pope was against the war,” Amaechi said.
He cited the reaction of Catholics in the United States after former President Donald Trump criticised Pope Leo XIV over his position on the Iran war, noting that American Catholics defended the Pope.
“The Catholics in America said, ‘You can’t say that of our Pope.’ All I know is that the population of the Catholics is about 35 million, and you just can’t insult all of us like that. You can’t,” he added.
Amaechi also recalled that while serving under former President Muhammadu Buhari, the Catholic Church openly criticised the government over rising insecurity, and the administration chose to reflect on the issues instead of attacking the bishops.
“When the Catholic Church came after Buhari, I was in Buhari’s government. And I’m a Catholic. You know what we did? We all kept quiet and looked at what the issues they wanted us to address,” he said.
He argued that insecurity, which prompted the bishops’ criticism during Buhari’s administration, has become even worse today.
“The issues that brought them out to the streets were insecurity. It’s worse now,” Amaechi stated.
The former transportation minister also defended his performance in office, saying Nigeria’s railway services were more efficient during his tenure.
“By the time we left, there was a railway from Lagos to Ibadan. Four times a day. Today it’s only once,” he said.
“By the time we left, there was a railway from Kaduna to Abuja. Four to six times a day. Today it goes only once.”
Amaechi’s comments come amid an ongoing debate sparked by remarks from Cardinal John Onaiyekan, who recently accused those around President Tinubu of presenting a “rosy picture” of the country while suggesting the administration is focused on winning the 2027 presidential election.
The cardinal’s comments drew criticism from Daniel Bwala, Special Adviser to the President on Policy Communication, who accused him of speaking from a political standpoint.
Source: Channels Television
