Bishops’ Tinubu Endorsement Not For Money, Says Archbishop Kawas
The President-General of the Charismatic Bishops’ Conference of Nigeria, Archbishop Leonard Bature Kawas, has alleged that some individuals are sponsoring banditry, kidnapping and terrorism in Nigeria to discredit President Bola Tinubu’s administration. Kawas made the claim while defending the bishops’ recent endorsement of Tinubu for a second term during an interview on Channels Television’s Morning Brief on Tuesday. The cleric insisted that the endorsement was not financially motivated, saying none of the bishops received money in exchange for their support. According to him, the insecurity confronting the country is being exploited by individuals allegedly seeking to give the President a bad name and frustrate his administration. Kawas likened the situation to what he claimed occurred under former President Goodluck Jonathan, alleging that similar efforts were made at the time to portray the former president negatively. “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,” he said.
Kawas said the bishops therefore decided to support Tinubu because they were convinced that he remained the candidate they should back, rather than because of any financial benefit. He maintained that political support should be based on conviction and not necessarily on whether a candidate provides financial incentives. The cleric also referenced the 2023 presidential election, when he said the bishops supported Peter Obi despite his reported position that he would not share money with Nigerians. “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,” Kawas said. His comments come amid growing political activity ahead of the 2027 general elections and continued debate over the role of religious and traditional institutions in endorsing political candidates.
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