The Emeritus Archbishop of Abuja, Cardinal John Onaiyekan, says though more Nigerians voted against President Bola Tinubu in the 2023 election, he has a duty to serve all Nigerians.
According to him, Tinubu, the then-candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), should switch from campaign mode to election mode and serve every part of the country equally.
The respected cleric was a guest on the Sunday edition of Inside Sources with Laolu Akande, a socio-political programme on Channels Television.
Cardinal Onaiyekan warned Tinubu against running a polarised government where his political cronies are rewarded with appointments and the parts of the country where he got hefty votes are also rewarded with projects.
He said, “There are Nigerians who did not vote for APC. Granted that APC got the highest number of votes and that is why they have the right to rule us. But they also forget that there are millions of Nigerians who did not (vote for the APC).
“Whatever the rules say, the reality is that more people vote against Mr President than those who voted for him.
“Even if you are a minority government, which is what I call what we have now, you still have a duty to serve the people and to do all you can to give everybody what is their right, and to rule well.”
‘God Is Watching’
Cardinal Onaiyekan urged the President to do his best to move the nation forward as he would give account of his stewardship to God.
“Mr President, it’s about time you switched from campaign mode to governance mode. Elections are over. Campaigns are over. You now have to govern and govern the whole of Nigeria and every Nigerian.
“And therefore, the whole system whereby high political offices are given as a reward for those who were political activists, I don’t believe that that is the best way to move the nation forward.
“I would say, now that you (Tinubu) have been declared the President of Nigeria, sit down comfortably on that chair. As a religious leader, I would say God has allowed you on that chair. If God puts you there, you must then know that he is watching you and that He will be asking you what you did on that chair,” he said.