Nyesom Wike’s Senior Special Assistant on Public Communications and Social Media, Lere Olayinka, criticises African Democratic Congress (ADC) presidential running mate Rotimi Amaechi for linking politics to defence of the Catholic Church. Writing on his X account, Olayinka says politics has turned Amaechi into an “emergency defender” of the Church and argues that such actions are aimed at securing votes ahead of the 2027 elections. He also refers to Amaechi’s past political contests, saying Wike supported him in 2007 and 2011, but that Wike defeated him in 2015, 2019 and 2023.

The remarks follow a Channels Television interview in which Amaechi accuses President Bola Tinubu of insulting the Catholic Church after comments from the Presidency directed at Archbishop Emeritus of Abuja, John Cardinal Onaiyekan. The dispute started after Tinubu met with the Catholic Bishops Conference of Nigeria, led by Onaiyekan, at the Presidential Villa. Onaiyekan said Tinubu rejected the bishops’ assessment of the nation’s situation, and his comments were followed by condemnation from the Presidency.