Prince Adewole Adebayo, presidential candidate of the Social Democratic Party (SDP), has stated that President Bola Tinubu should be the last in a line of “embarrassing presidents” Nigeria will ever experience, following controversial remarks made during a meeting with Catholic bishops. The incident occurred on Tuesday, July 28, when a delegation from the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Nigeria visited the Presidential Villa to discuss the worsening economic hardship facing Nigerians. According to Archbishop Emeritus John Cardinal Onaiyekan, Tinubu dismissed their concerns, an exchange that sparked widespread public and religious backlash.
Adebayo expressed disappointment in how the bishops handled the encounter, arguing they should have immediately called for an emergency national prayer after hearing the President’s response. He emphasized that such a reaction would have been consistent with Christian values and moral leadership. “What is surprising to me is how the Catholic bishops could meet with President Tinubu and listen to him talk the way he talked, and they left the Villa without calling for emergency national prayer,” Adebayo said.
He further explained that the President’s behavior during the meeting was unacceptable, especially given the gravity of the nation’s economic challenges. “Because that President that they met there cannot be the kind of President God wanted us to have,” Adebayo added. He suggested that either the nation’s collective sins have brought this leadership upon itself or the President’s personal failings are so great that divine intervention is being withheld.
Having attended Catholic schools, Adebayo recalled how communities would gather in prayer when leaders acted unethically. He urged the clergy, particularly the Catholic bishops, to take a more active role in guiding the nation spiritually. “They need prayers; they need to be told the truth,” he stressed. He believes the current administration’s actions require urgent spiritual reflection and intervention.
Despite the criticism, Adebayo remains hopeful for change. He reiterated his belief that Tinubu’s presidency marks the end of a troubling era of leadership failures. “I believe that President Tinubu, I hope, is the last of the embarrassing Presidents that we will be having,” he concluded. His comments reflect growing public frustration over governance and call for greater accountability from both political leaders and religious institutions. As Nigeria continues to grapple with inflation, unemployment, and insecurity, the demand for ethical leadership and moral courage grows louder.
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