Aug 4, 2026

Kwankwaso Hails Catholic Bishops’ Courageous Warning on Nigeria

By Afolabi Olaiya Idowu in politics

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Former Kano State Governor and 2023 NNPP presidential candidate, Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, on Tuesday night publicly commended the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Nigeria (CBCN) for what he described as an act of “courage and patriotism” in drawing attention to the harsh realities facing ordinary Nigerians.

In a statement posted on his verified X account, Kwankwaso said the bishops’ concerns about the rising cost of living, worsening insecurity, declining public confidence and widespread hardship were “neither partisan nor isolated.”

He stressed that they simply reflected the daily experiences of citizens across every part of the country.

“Nigeria is blessed with abundant human and natural resources, yet millions of our people continue to struggle under the weight of economic hardship, unemployment, insecurity, poor access to quality education and healthcare, and diminishing opportunities,” Kwankwaso wrote.

“These challenges demand urgent, sincere, and people-centred responses from those entrusted with leadership.”

The intervention comes days after Cardinal John Onaiyekan revealed that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu had disagreed with the bishops during a July 28 courtesy visit to the State House in Abuja.

According to the cardinal, the CBCN delegation, led by Conference President Archbishop Matthew Man-Oso Ndagoso of Kaduna, presented a candid assessment of the nation’s economic, security and democratic challenges.

The President, Onaiyekan said, insisted the economy was performing well and did not share the bishops’ diagnosis.

In their formal address, the bishops had painted a grim picture: persistent banditry and kidnappings, near-collapse of the power sector, decaying roads, and economic policies whose promised benefits remain elusive for millions.

“Mr President, our nation is bleeding. The citizens are suffering and crying,” the CBCN message stated, warning that Nigeria’s sovereignty itself was at stake.

Kwankwaso, a long-time advocate of people-centered governance, urged well-meaning Nigerians to keep engaging leaders constructively and to demand accountability, security and policies that put citizens first. He ended with a prayer for the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

The former defence minister’s statement has already drawn mixed reactions online. Supporters hailed it as a rare moment of moral clarity from a major opposition figure.

Others insisted that praise alone is no longer enough and that Nigerians need concrete solutions rather than more acknowledgements of suffering.

As the country continues to grapple with inflation, insecurity and eroding public trust ahead of the 2027 general elections, Kwankwaso’s endorsement of the Catholic bishops adds another prominent political voice to the growing chorus calling for urgent, sincere action.

Whether that call will translate into measurable change remains the question many Nigerians are still asking.