ABUJA — In a dramatic shift of posture, the Federal Government has announced plans to deepen formal consultations with the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Nigeria (CBCN), effectively walking back aggressive rhetoric launched by presidential aides against senior Catholic clergy. The assurance was conveyed in an official statement issued by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Senator George Akume. The aides had publicly attacked Archbishop Emeritus of Abuja, John Cardinal Onaiyekan, and the CBCN, accusing the high-ranking cardinal of playing partisan politics and acting as a proxy for opposition interests. Moving to calm political waters, SGF Akume stated that discussions between the President and the Catholic bishops were “candid, respectful, and constructive,” explicitly rejecting claims of hostility or attempts by the ruling administration to establish a one-party state. He emphasized that the SGF’s office will sustain ongoing dialogue with the Church leadership on socio-economic reforms, electoral credibility, and national cohesion.