Methodist Bishop and Executive Secretary of the Nigerian Christian Pilgrims Commission (NCPC), Stephen Adegbite, has fired back at Cardinal John Onaiyekan, insisting that supporting a preferred presidential candidate does not give anyone the licence to disparage other contenders.
Adegbite made the remarks on Friday during an interview on TVC, while reacting to comments attributed to Onaiyekan following the recent meeting between the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Nigeria (CBCN) and President Bola Ahmed Tinubu at the State House.
The Methodist bishop said individuals, including religious leaders, are entitled to their political preferences but should exercise restraint and avoid turning political differences into attacks on opposing candidates.
According to him, backing one candidate is a legitimate personal choice, but running down other politicians crosses the line.
Adegbite’s comments come amid renewed political debate over the 2027 presidential race, with prominent religious figures increasingly weighing in on the direction of the country and the performance of the Tinubu administration.
He urged political and religious stakeholders to promote issue-based engagement rather than personal attacks, stressing that Nigeria’s political discourse should be driven by ideas, competence and national interest.
“You can have your preferred presidential candidate,” Adegbite’s position amounts to, “but that should not give you the right to run down others.”
