The Chairman of the Northern Christian Association (NCA), Rev. John Joseph Hayab, has defended the Catholic Bishops’ recent criticism of President Bola Tinubu’s administration, stating that the clerics merely echoed the daily struggles of ordinary Nigerians.
Speaking on Tuesday during an interview on Trust TV’s *Day Break* program, Hayab dismissed the presidency’s sharp response to the bishops, arguing that the concerns raised by the Catholic Bishops Conference of Nigeria (CBCN) reflect widespread public sentiment rather than a sectarian or partisan agenda.
According to Hayab, issues such as rising hunger, chronic insecurity, the depreciation of the naira, and declining public trust in the political system are undeniable realities.
“What the Catholic bishops said is not just a Christian position; it is a Nigerian reality,” Hayab said. “They reminded the president of what they hear daily. People approach their bishops asking, ‘Are you not watching? Nigerians are hungry. There is insecurity. Everything seems to be moving towards a one-party state.'”
The cleric criticized the presidency’s defensive reaction to the bishops’ communique, suggesting that President Tinubu is being poorly advised by his handlers.
“If he actually read that response from a prepared speech, then his speechwriters have a serious problem because they are not helping this president,” Hayab said, adding that the administration should have welcomed the feedback constructively.
“All he needed to say was, ‘I have heard you. We are doing our best, but your input will help us identify where the gaps are so we can correct them.'”
Instead, Hayab argued, the harsh tone directed at the bishops—who “were not seeking contracts, political appointments, or personal gain”—indicates a disconnect between the presidency and the public.
“It shows that our president has either been caged, misinformed, or terribly misled by some people, so that he does not understand what Nigerians are going through,” Hayab said.
The NCA leader also rejected attempts to frame the controversy as a sectarian dispute, emphasizing that Christian leaders across all denominations share these concerns.
“We respect our bishops, just as we respect Pastor [W.F.] Kumuyi, Pastor [Enoch] Adeboye, Bishop [David] Oyedepo, the Anglican Primate, the Methodist Prelate, the Baptist President, and many others,” he said. “We respect them because they preach Christ, not because of the denomination they belong to.”
While acknowledging that the administration may have recorded some achievements, Hayab stressed that macroeconomic statistics must translate to tangible relief for citizens.
“No one is saying this government has done nothing,” he said. “But despite whatever has been achieved, we must ask whether the ordinary Nigerian can feel the impact.”
He pointed to the disparity between economic indicators and the reality on the ground.
“You may have huge foreign reserves, but people are going to bed hungry. You may be constructing roads, but people are still dying [in insecurity]. These are the realities the bishops were talking about. They were not confrontational, and they were not seeking anything for themselves,” Hayab concluded.
