Tinubu Visiting the Pope Is an Insult to Christianity — Babachir Lawal

President Bola Tinubu’s recent meeting with Pope Leo XIV has drawn criticism from former Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Babachir Lawal, who described the visit as an insult to Christianity. Speaking in an interview on Arise Television, Lawal argued that Tinubu’s presence at the Vatican for the Pope’s papal inauguration was not a significant achievement but a politically orchestrated event, likely arranged by lobbyists.

Lawal dismissed the symbolism of the meeting, stating that such visits can be facilitated through connections and inducements. He suggested that Tinubu’s attendance at the ceremony, where he joined other world leaders to exchange pleasantries with the Pope, does not reflect genuine religious diplomacy.

According to Lawal, the event highlights what he views as the inherent imbalance of the Muslim-Muslim ticket on which Tinubu ran and won the 2023 presidential election. He insisted that a Christian Vice President would have been a more appropriate representative at the religious gathering, particularly one involving the leadership of the Catholic Church.

“It reinforces my earlier belief that the Muslim-Muslim ticket is an insult to Christianity,” Lawal said, expressing disappointment that a Muslim president led a delegation of prominent Nigerian Catholics to the Vatican. He argued that this scenario underscores what he calls an unfair political arrangement.

Babachir Lawal was an early supporter of Tinubu’s candidacy but withdrew his backing after Tinubu chose Kashim Shettima, also a Muslim, as his running mate. His latest remarks continue to reflect the lingering controversy surrounding the religious composition of Nigeria’s leadership.