The presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Atiku Abubakar, has condemned the Presidency's criticism of the Catholic Church and John Cardinal Onaiyekan, accusing the administration of President Bola Tinubu of intolerance toward dissenting voices and uncomfortable truths.

In a statement issued on Sunday by his Senior Special Assistant on Public Communication, Phrank Shaibu, Atiku said the Presidency resorted to intimidation and political attacks instead of reflecting on the concerns raised by the cleric.

The exchange followed a recent meeting between President Tinubu and Catholic bishops, during which the President defended his administration's record and the independence of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

Speaking during a television interview on Friday, Cardinal Onaiyekan disclosed that the bishops told the President that Nigeria was "bleeding" and that prevailing economic conditions had worsened the plight of ordinary citizens.

He added that President Tinubu and members of his delegation "were not looking very happy" with the presentation, noting that it differed from the positive reports the President often received.

The Presidency subsequently criticised the Cardinal, alleging that he and the Catholic Church were working in support of a presidential aspirant.

Reacting, Atiku argued that the Presidency's response reflected its familiarity with "fake bishops" allegedly deployed for political purposes during previous elections, insisting that Catholic bishops could not be manipulated for partisan interests.

"Perhaps the Presidency has become so accustomed to inviting 'fake bishops' that it now assumes every cleric can be recruited into political propaganda.

"But Catholic bishops are different. They are not political props, rented cheerleaders or praise singers.

"They are shepherds with a moral obligation to speak truth to power, regardless of whose interests are bruised. They cannot be used," the statement read.

The former Vice President described the Catholic Church as a longstanding moral voice for the poor and vulnerable, irrespective of which party controls the Federal Government, and commended the bishops for speaking frankly during their meeting with the President.

He further described the Presidency's comments against Cardinal Onaiyekan as arrogant and unbecoming of government.

He accused presidential aides of attempting to distort the cleric's remarks by selectively presenting the outcome of the meeting to create a narrative favourable to the administration.

According to Atiku, the Cardinal's decision to address the media afterward was aimed solely at placing the facts on record.

"A government confident in its record welcomes criticism because it provides an opportunity for reflection and improvement.

"Only an insecure government wages war against honest voices while rewarding those who tell it only what it wants to hear," he said.

Atiku maintained that the Cardinal merely echoed the realities confronting millions of Nigerians, including hunger, insecurity, poverty, unemployment and the rising cost of living, stressing that attacking the messenger would not change those realities.

He called on the Presidency to apologise to the Catholic Church, Cardinal Onaiyekan and Catholic faithful across the country.

He warned that the administration would continue to face allegations of arrogance and intolerance unless it embraced constructive criticism.