TDÂ A statement circulated on social media and purportedly issued by the Catholic Youth Organisation of Nigeria (CYON) distancing Nigerian Catholics from partisan politics has been exposed as fake.
The development raised fresh questions about attempts to influence public opinion amid the controversy surrounding remarks by Cardinal John Onaiyekan.
The disputed statement claimed to represent the position of Catholic youths on political neutrality.
It urged church leaders to refrain from making partisan political comments.
It was signed only with the closing phrase, “Yours fraternally in Christ,” without the name or signature of any recognised official.
According to a fact-check by TheCable, the document did not originate from CYON.
The publication identified several inconsistencies that cast serious doubt on its authenticity.
Among the discrepancies were the use of a logo that differs from CYON’s official emblem and an incorrect letterhead.
It described the organisation as “Catholic Youth Association of Nigeria (CYON)” instead of its correct name, “Catholic Youth Organisation of Nigeria (CYON).”
To verify the document, Gosife Eze, National President of CYON, told TheCable that the statement was fake.
Eze noted that the document did not emanate from the organisation and urged members of the public to disregard it.
Background to the Controversy
The forged statement surfaced shortly after comments by John Onaiyekan, who said President Bola Tinubu’s administration appeared determined to secure victory in the 2027 general election “by all means.”
The remarks sparked a response from the Presidency.
Presidential spokesperson Daniel Bwala argued that Onaiyekan was expressing a personal opinion and was not speaking on behalf of all Christians.
The Catholic Laity Council of Nigeria (CLCN) subsequently defended the cardinal.
CLCN maintained that his comments reflected concern for Nigeria’s democratic future and were intended to call political leaders to accountability rather than attack the government.
Caution Over Unverified Claims
The emergence of the forged CYON statement has fuelled political debate online.
Meanwhile, there is currently no publicly available evidence identifying who created or circulated the fake document, or linking its origin to the Presidency or any government official.
The incident nevertheless highlights the growing challenge of misinformation and forged documents in Nigeria’s political discourse.
It underscores the importance of verifying claims through official sources before sharing them.
