Tinubu aide Onaiyekan clash cools as Temitope Ajayi says he did not disrespect the cardinal or Catholic Church after their public dispute
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Temitope Ajayi, said on Thursday that his recent criticism of Cardinal John Onaiyekan was not intended to disrespect the Catholic Church, signalling a calmer tone after weeks of public disagreement over a private meeting between President Tinubu and Catholic bishops.
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Ajayi made the clarification during an appearance on Arise Television, saying the dispute surrounding his response to the Archbishop Emeritus of Abuja should now be regarded as settled.
“Well, I think that episode has been closed. Cardinal Onaiyekan is a respected clergy and a statesman in his own right,” Ajayi said.
“My response to him did not in any way disrespect him or disrespect his standing in the society and the church. He’s one of the leaders of the faith.”
The clash began after Cardinal Onaiyekan publicly discussed a July 28 meeting between President Tinubu and the leadership of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Nigeria at the State House in Abuja.
The bishops, led by Most Rev Matthew Ndagoso, Archbishop of Kaduna and president of the CBCN, raised concerns about insecurity, economic hardship, education, democracy and the credibility of the 2027 elections. Nineteen CBCN leaders attended the meeting, according to the State House.
President Tinubu gave a contrasting assessment of the country, maintaining that his administration was stabilising the economy and strengthening the security architecture. He also told the bishops that the Independent National Electoral Commission was neutral.
The disagreement became public after Cardinal Onaiyekan appeared on Arise Television on July 31 and described the bishops’ concerns about Nigeria as a candid reflection of the hardship facing citizens.
The cardinal said the bishops had told President Tinubu that the country was “bleeding” and that the economy was not sufficiently helping poorer Nigerians. He also said President Tinubu disagreed with their assessment.
Onaiyekan further expressed concern about the 2027 elections, warning that Nigerians could face serious difficulties if the electoral process was not free and fair.
The comments prompted a sharp response from Ajayi, who accused the cardinal of an “abuse of clerical privilege” for publicly recounting aspects of what had been a closed-door engagement.
In his August 1 statement, Ajayi argued that the bishops had been given an opportunity to present their concerns directly to the President and that the matter should ordinarily have ended there. The Presidency published the statement on the official State House website.
The criticism drew reactions from outside government. Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria, among others, faulted presidential aides for attacking Onaiyekan, while other commentators defended the cardinal’s right to speak on issues affecting Nigerians.
Former Rivers State governor Rotimi Amaechi also defended Onaiyekan, saying the cardinal was not supporting a particular political candidate but was concerned about poverty, corruption and the wider condition of the country.
The Presidency subsequently adopted a more conciliatory tone. Secretary to the Government of the Federation George Akume said the Federal Government wanted stronger partnerships with the Catholic bishops and other faith leaders, describing the July discussions as candid, respectful and constructive despite differences in assessment.
That shift provides important context for Ajayi’s latest remarks.
Rather than reopening the argument over what was said behind closed doors, the presidential aide sought to distinguish his criticism of Onaiyekan’s public account from any hostility towards the cardinal or the Catholic Church.
“I only tried to provide a different perspective from his own account of the bishop’s encounter with the president, and I think that point has been made,” Ajayi said.
“And I think it’s not something we really want to dwell further on.”
For Onaiyekan, the episode followed a long public record of commenting on Nigeria’s political and social challenges.
During the latest controversy, the 82-year-old cardinal maintained that he was not afraid to speak openly about matters he believed affected the country.
The dispute has therefore carried significance beyond a personal exchange between a presidential aide and a senior Catholic cleric.
It has touched on a more delicate question about how religious leaders should engage government, particularly when conversations concern poverty, insecurity and the integrity of future elections.
As Nigeria approaches the 2027 general elections, the latest conciliatory remarks from Ajayi suggest that the Presidency is keen to move past the confrontation and preserve working relations with the Catholic hierarchy.
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For now, Ajayi’s message is notably softer: disagreement, he indicated, should not be mistaken for disrespect, and the public dispute with Onaiyekan is best left behind.
