Speaking on Thursday during an appearance on Prime Time on Arise Television, the cleric accused members of the National Assembly of Nigeria of failing to represent the interests of Nigerians.
“We are no longer sure our representatives in the National Assembly represent us, the people,” Onaiyekan said. “The priorities they set and the decisions they take do not show that they represent us.”
He dismissed suggestions that the Catholic Church was seeking political power, insisting that the bishops’ intervention was driven by national concern rather than ambition.
“Nigeria’s bishops have no intention of taking over the government. If anything is driving us, it is purely the love of our nation,” he said.
Onaiyekan described the Church’s role as “prophetic,” explaining that its responsibility is to speak for citizens and hold leaders accountable.
“We are simply speaking for the people and speaking truth to power. We do not speak carelessly, but we are not afraid to voice the truth in clear terms,” he said.
The 82-year-old cleric said the country’s current trajectory represents a marked decline from previous decades.
“I have been in this country for 82 years, 60 of them quite aware of what was happening. This is not the country we were living in before. This country is worse than it was before,” he added.
His remarks come amid mounting public frustration over economic hardship, governance concerns, and questions about legislative priorities.
