Some people sponsor terrorism to blackmail Tinubu as they did to Jonathan — Bishop 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 the country in an attempt to discredit President Bola Tinubu’s administration.

Kawas made the allegation while defending the recent endorsement of Tinubu for a second term during an interview on Channels Television’s Morning Brief on Tuesday.

The cleric said the endorsement was not financially motivated, insisting that no money was given to the bishops in exchange for their support for the President.

“Today, this endorsement has not given us any one naira. No one naira has been given to us. We did it because, based on current happenings in our nation, the sabotage of people sponsoring banditry and sponsoring kidnapping and all these things just to give Tinubu a bad name,” he said.

Kawas compared the situation to what he said happened during the administration of former President Goodluck Jonathan, arguing that similar efforts were allegedly made to portray Jonathan negatively.

He said the bishops were convinced that the insecurity confronting the country was being exploited by some people to frustrate and discredit Tinubu’s government.

“That is why we decided that since it is a proven fact and there are international intelligence on this that 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,” Kawas said.

The cleric said the bishops’ decision to endorse Tinubu was therefore based on their conviction that he remained the candidate they should support.

“That is why we say no. If that is the case, then it is Tinubu that we are going to support. So we are. We believe that we are being led to do so,” he added.

Addressing the question of whether political endorsements should be influenced by financial considerations, Kawas said the absence of financial benefits would not prevent the bishops from backing a candidate they believed was suitable.

“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,” he said.

He also referred to the 2023 presidential election, noting that Peter Obi’s reported refusal to give money to Nigerians did not prevent the bishops from supporting him at the time.

“So, that is what happened as at the time when Peter Obi did not give any money to any Nigerian, he said he would give shishi, and that did not stop us,” Kawas said.