Comrade Timi Frank, former Deputy National Publicity Secretary of the All Progressives Congress (APC), has thrown his weight behind the Catholic Bishops' Conference of Nigeria (CBCN) for directly confronting President Bola Tinubu over the economy and warning the administration against steering Nigeria into a one-party state.
In a statement issued in Abuja on Sunday, August 2, Frank praised the bishops for displaying a rare form of courage in speaking honestly to the President about the harsh realities facing ordinary Nigerians. He said the bishops' intervention was long overdue and urged other religious leaders to emulate them. He described the bishops' message as a wake-up call for the administration, noting that the President would do well to listen.
“We commend the Catholic leaders for their courage. We have not seen this kind of courage from religious leaders in Nigeria for a long time. They were brave enough to look the President in the face and tell him the bitter truth,” Frank said.
He added that the President should heed the bishops’ advice without delay, warning that failure to do so could bring unavoidable embarrassment. “The President should heed their advice. By doing so, he will save himself from embarrassment. These are true leaders, and we expect other religious bodies to follow the example set by the Catholic leaders,” he stated.
Frank Slams Pentecostal Leaders for Silence
Frank used the opportunity to criticise some Pentecostal clergy, alleging that instead of speaking truth to power, they exchange difficult conversations for perks. He accused such leaders of going to the Presidential Villa and abandoning the message they were sent to deliver.
“Unfortunately, some religious leaders, particularly some Pentecostal leaders, go to the Villa, drink tea with the President and forget what they went there to say. They come back with envelopes and the story becomes different,” Frank alleged.
He questioned why religious leaders who know the country’s problems so well continue to offer only prayers to the President rather than holding him accountable for the welfare of citizens. His criticism points to a growing concern among Nigerians about the perceived silence of some religious figures on political missteps.
Tinubu Administration Accused of Deepening National Crises
Beyond religious leadership, Frank directed a string of accusations at the Tinubu government. He claimed that corruption, insecurity, poverty and unemployment have worsened under the President’s watch, and that the administration has deliberately weakened democratic institutions and opposition parties.
“Unfortunately, the legacy Nigerians are seeing is corruption taken to another level and insecurity taken to another level. Poverty and unemployment have also reached unprecedented levels,” Frank said.
He described the situation as a betrayal of the promise of democratic governance, insisting that the President must take responsibility for the deteriorating conditions.
Allegations of 2027 Election Rigging Plans
Frank further alleged that the administration is hoping to manipulate the 2027 general elections, because President Tinubu cannot survive an honest electoral contest. He challenged the President to conduct free and fair elections instead of destabilising the political system.
“He knows that if there is a free and fair election today, he is not going to come back. Instead of being desperate to destroy political parties and democratic institutions, the President should do the right thing: conduct free and fair elections,” Frank said.
He also appealed to Muslim and Christian leaders to follow the Catholic bishops’ example and openly challenge government policies that are harmful to Nigerians. He asked them to deliver a clear message to President Tinubu: he has failed and should not seek another term in office in 2027.
“They should tell President Tinubu that he has failed and that, having failed, he should not seek another term,” he said.
Presidency berates Onaiyekan over bishops’ meeting
Meanwhile, the presidency has criticised the Archbishop Emeritus of the Catholic Diocese of Abuja, John Onaiyekan, for revealing what was discussed during Thursday’s closed-door meeting between President Tinubu and the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Nigeria. The delegation, led by Catholic bishops’ president Matthew Ndagoso, presented concerns on security, the quality and limited capacity of tertiary education, sustaining the gains of democracy, credible elections, and poverty.
The fallout underlines the growing tension between the government and religious institutions, as more clerics feel compelled to speak out on national issues. Frank’s own statement reinforces the view that religious leaders have a vital role in demanding accountability from elected officials. Observers say the ongoing friction between Aso Rock and the Catholic Church could shape the political atmosphere ahead of the next election cycle.
