Senator Orji Kalu has declared that he would resign from the All Progressives Congress (APC) if President Bola Tinubu ever disrespects the Catholic Church.
Speaking on Politics Today on Channels Television, Kalu reacted to the controversy surrounding the recent meeting between President Tinubu and the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Nigeria (CBCN).
The meeting, led by CBCN president Archbishop Matthew Ndagoso, saw Catholic bishops raise concerns about Nigeria’s economic hardship and worsening insecurity. The discussions later sparked a public exchange after Cardinal John Onaiyekan suggested the president was displeased with the bishops’ remarks, while presidential aide Daniel Bwala criticised the cleric’s comments.
Kalu defended the Catholic bishops, describing them as the nation’s conscience and insisting they were right to speak out on national issues.
“The Catholic bishops were right. If they had said anything less than what they said, they would no longer be the conscience of this country,” he said.
The former Abia State governor dismissed claims that Tinubu had disrespected the Catholic Church, arguing that statements made by presidential aides should not be interpreted as the president’s personal position.
According to Kalu, Tinubu maintains a cordial relationship with the Catholic Church, adding that bishops have always spoken truth to power regardless of the administration in office.
He also rejected calls for the presidency to apologise to the Church, insisting Tinubu had done nothing that required an apology.
“Any day President Tinubu disrespects the opposition, or the Catholic Church, I will resign from the APC,” Kalu said.
On the economy, the senator said the Tinubu administration had made progress in stabilising key macroeconomic indicators, including the exchange rate, fuel prices and investor confidence.
However, he acknowledged that many Nigerians were yet to experience the benefits, noting that insecurity continued to hurt farming activities and contribute to high food prices.
Looking ahead to the 2027 general election, Kalu expressed confidence that Tinubu would secure re-election, arguing that the opposition remained too divided to pose a serious challenge.
