2027: Bishops Reveal Why They Chose Tinubu Over Other Candidates

The President-General of the Charismatic Bishops’ Conference of Nigeria, Archbishop Leonard Bature Kawas, has defended the group’s endorsement of President Bola Tinubu for a second term, insisting that the decision was not influenced by money.

Kawas also alleged that some individuals were sponsoring banditry, kidnapping and terrorism in the country in a bid to make Tinubu’s administration look bad and frustrate his government.

The cleric made the claims on Tuesday during an interview on Channels Television’s Morning Brief, Naija News reports.

According to him, none of the bishops received money for endorsing Tinubu ahead of the 2027 presidential election.

“Today, this endorsement has not given us any one naira. No one naira has been given to us. We did it because, based on current happenings in our nation, the sabotage of people sponsoring banditry and sponsoring kidnapping and all these things just to give Tinubu a bad name,” he said.

Kawas compared the situation to the administration of former President Goodluck Jonathan, claiming that similar efforts were made at the time to portray the former president negatively.

He said the bishops believed that insecurity in the country was being used by some people to weaken and discredit Tinubu’s government.

“That is why we decided that since it is a proven fact and there are international intelligence on this that some people are sponsoring all this banditry and terrorism just to give Tinubu a bad name to frustrate his government and to blackmail him and blacklist him,” Kawas said.

The cleric said the alleged activities influenced the bishops’ decision to back Tinubu, adding that they believed he was the candidate they should support.

“That is why we say no. If that is the case, then it is Tinubu that we are going to support. So we are. We believe that we are being led to do so,” he added.

Kawas also dismissed the suggestion that financial benefits should determine political endorsements by religious leaders.

He said the bishops would support a candidate they believed was suitable, regardless of whether they received financial rewards.

“If we participate in politics, and any blessing comes from it, fine and good. But where the blessing does not come financially, it also doesn’t matter so long as we are convinced that that is the right candidate,” he said.

The cleric also referred to the 2023 presidential election, saying the bishops supported Peter Obi despite his reported position that he would not share money with Nigerians.

“So, that is what happened as at the time when Peter Obi did not give any money to any Nigerian, he said he would give shishi, and that did not stop us,” Kawas said.