President General of the Charismatic Bishops Conference of Nigeria (CBCN), Archbishop Leonard Bouwe Kawas, has defended his decision to endorse President Bola Tinubu for the 2027 presidential election following criticism from some Nigerians.
Kawas, speaking during an interview on Arise TV, rejected claims questioning his credibility because of his decision to support Tinubu.
The clergyman recalled that he supported Peter Obi during the 2023 presidential election and said he did so without receiving financial assistance from the former Labour Party presidential candidate.
According to Kawas, he personally paid the transportation costs of six clergymen who accompanied him to Obi’s campaign activities to pray and show their support.
He said Obi never asked him how he travelled to the campaign, where he stayed or whether he required financial assistance.
“Peter Obi never gave me one dollar, one naira. Neither did he even ever ask me one day, ‘How did I come to the campaign?’”
Kawas said he continued to support Obi because he believed it was the right thing to do at the time, adding that nobody questioned his status as a bishop or accused him of being fake over that political decision.
“He would just see me at the campaign. We would pray for him. I would pay the transportation of six clergymen. We’ll come there and support him.”
He argued that his current support for Tinubu should not automatically be interpreted as evidence of financial inducement.
The Archbishop said his decision to endorse Tinubu was based on what he described as God’s direction, rather than a financial arrangement with the president or his political camp.
“He never asked me how did I come, which hotel did I sleep. Yet I did it, and nobody called me fake. Is it now that because I have prayed and God has led me that it is Tinubu, that I suddenly now become fake?”
His comments come amid an ongoing debate over the involvement of Christian leaders and religious organisations in Nigerian politics, particularly their decision to publicly support presidential candidates ahead of the 2027 election.
Kawas maintained that his endorsement of Tinubu reflects his personal conviction and religious interpretation, while critics remain entitled to question or disagree with his political choice.
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