{
  "id": 127589,
  "title": "Wike faults Onaiyekan, says religious leaders shouldn’t be partisan",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/04/wike-faults-onaiyekan-says-religious-leaders-shouldnt-be-partisan",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-08-04T12:02:03.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Punch Nigeria",
    "slug": "punch-nigeria",
    "url": "https://punchng.com/wike-faults-onaiyekan-says-religious-leaders-shouldnt-be-partisan/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Federal Capital Territory Minister Nyesom Wike has criticized Cardinal John Onaiyekan for his stance against President Bola Tinubu's administration, arguing that religious leaders should refrain from partisan remarks that could undermine their credibility. During his monthly media chat, Wike emphasized that religious leaders can offer constructive criticism but must balance their opinions by acknowledging the administration's achievements. He stated that consistent negativity in comments could create the impression that religious leaders are only opposed to the government, which could negatively impact their standing. Wike acknowledged Onaiyekan's position but asserted that the cardinal had consistently criticized the government. He also noted that political neutrality was not maintained during the 2023 general election, when religious leaders openly took sides. Wike concluded by stating that while it is not inherently wrong for religious leaders to express political views, they must avoid consistently holding a single viewpoint to maintain the trust of the public.",
  "summary": "FCT Minister Nyesom Wike criticises Cardinal Onaiyekan, stating religious leaders risk credibility if perceived as partisan. Wike faults Onaiyekan’s consis Read More: https://punchng.com/wike-faults-onaiyekan-says-religious-leaders-shouldnt-be-partisan/",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}