The Northern Christian Association (NCA) has thrown its weight behind the Catholic Bishops' Conference of Nigeria (CBCN) over its recent engagement with President Bola Tinubu.

They accused the President's Special Adviser on Media and Public Communications, Daniel Bwala, of attempting to create division within the Christian community.

The association said the Catholic bishops spoke not only on issues affecting the Catholic Church but also on national concerns impacting Christians and all Nigerians, insisting that their intervention was in the country's overall interest.

The NCA's position follows the controversy that trailed comments attributed to Bwala after the bishops met with President Tinubu and raised concerns over the nation's worsening economic and security situation.

In a statement issued on Sunday, the Chairman of the Northern Christian Association, Rev. Joseph Hayab, warned against what he described as divisive politics, saying the association would resist any attempt to pitch one Christian denomination against another.

Hayab stressed that the NCA comprises members from virtually all Christian denominations in Northern Nigeria, including the Catholic Church, Baptist, ECWA, Methodist, Anglican and Pentecostal churches.

"We should tell Bwala to know that Catholics are Christians and Nigerians.

"Our members are Catholics, Baptists, ECWA, Methodists, Anglicans, Pentecostals and people of all denominations. We refuse to be divided by Bwala's politics of division," he said.

The cleric said Cardinal John Onaiyekan and the Catholic bishops deserved respect, noting that their meeting with the President focused on issues affecting humanity, Christians and Nigerians generally, rather than matters exclusive to the Catholic Church.

"Our Cardinal is our respected leader, and the bishops that visited the President went to speak to him about humanity, Christians and all of us, not only Catholics," he stated.

Hayab described it as "shameful and a disservice" for the President's spokesperson to disrespect the Cardinal, maintaining that the bishops merely offered sincere counsel intended to help the administration tackle the country's challenges.

"It is therefore shameful and a disservice to Tinubu for his spokesperson to disrespect our Cardinal. An honest counsel has been given to Mr President for his own good and for a better Nigeria," he added.

The NCA chairman also criticised what he described as the growing tendency of some government officials to dismiss genuine concerns raised by religious leaders and other stakeholders.

According to him, political appointees who resort to propaganda instead of confronting the realities facing Nigerians are doing the nation more harm than good.

"Any voice of greed, propaganda or disconnect with the citizens by any government appointee like Bwala should be seen as those destroying the country for their selfish interest, not minding the larger population," Hayab said.

He warned that unless the country's mounting economic and security challenges were urgently addressed, the consequences would affect all Nigerians irrespective of political affiliation.

"Sadly for people like Bwala, if things do not improve, we shall all suffer together and live to see our country not growing as it should be," he said.

Reaffirming the association's confidence in the Catholic bishops, Hayab described them as patriotic leaders committed to Nigeria's progress.

"The NCA knows that our Catholic bishops mean well and love the President and the country more than those insulting their honest counsel," he said.

He urged government officials to respond constructively to concerns raised by religious leaders rather than making statements capable of deepening divisions among Nigerians.

The Catholic Bishops' Conference of Nigeria had, during its recent meeting with President Tinubu, called on the Federal Government to take more decisive steps to address insecurity, economic hardship and other pressing national challenges.

The bishops' remarks sparked public debate, with Bwala's reaction drawing criticism from several Christian groups, including the Northern Christian Association.