The Presidency on Saturday criticized representatives of the Catholic Bishops' Conference of Nigeria, saying they are not the sole custodians of the truth about the state of the nation.

The Presidency stated that the clerics were not truthful when they accused President Bola Tinubu of not doing enough to address the economic problems facing the country.

Cardinal John Onaiyekan, the Archbishop Emeritus of the Catholic Archdiocese of Abuja, was particularly targeted by the Presidency for publicly disclosing details of a closed-door meeting with the President, saying his comments were inappropriate and a breach of confidentiality. 'The Catholic Bishops are entitled to their opinions, but they are not the sole custodians of the truth. They should not pretend to be more knowledgeable than the President or more patriotic than the President,' said a presidency source.

Cardinal Onaiyekan had expressed disappointment that the President did not take his advice on how to address the economic challenges facing the country.

The Presidency also accused the Catholic Bishops of trying to be too close to the President, saying this is not the first time they have tried to get involved in the country's politics.

Also on Saturday, the Independent National Electoral Commission released the final list of candidates for the 2027 general elections, but former President Goodluck Jonathan, Senator Ned Nwoko, and several other high-profile politicians were absent from the list.

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) had claimed that Jonathan was its presidential candidate, but his name did not appear on INEC's list.

The PDP's Tanimu Turaki-led faction had presented Jonathan as its candidate, but it appears the commission did not accept this claim.

Nwoko, a senator from Delta State, was also not listed as a candidate.

Other politicians who were absent from the list included former Governor of Gombe State, Danjuma Goje, and several others.

The release of INEC's list brings an end to months of political uncertainty, but it has also left many politicians without a clear path to the general elections.

INEC Chairman, Mahmood Yakubu, announced the release of the list at a press conference on Saturday, saying that the final list is now available for public scrutiny.

Yakubu promised that the commission would be transparent in its process and would ensure that all candidates meet the required qualifications.

The final list of candidates will be used for the 2027 general elections, and all aspirants who are interested in contesting the elections must meet the requirements stipulated by the commission.

The commission also warned that any candidate who fails to meet the requirements would not be allowed to contest the elections.

The 2027 general elections are expected to be one of the most competitive elections in recent history, with several politicians vying for various positions.

The elections are expected to take place in February 2027, but the commission has not yet confirmed the exact date.

The final list of candidates will be published in all the national newspapers, and anyone who is interested in contesting the elections must submit their nomination forms to the commission by August 15, 2026.

Former President Goodluck Jonathan's absence from the list has caused a stir within the PDP, with some members accusing the Tanimu Turaki-led faction of sabotaging Jonathan's chances.

Senator Ned Nwoko's absence from the list has also caused a stir among his supporters, who are accusing INEC of being biased against him.

The release of the final list of candidates marks the end of the nomination process, and all candidates who have met the required qualifications will now be included in the list.

The list includes candidates from various parties, including the PDP, the All Progressives Congress (APC), and the Labour Party.

The final list of candidates will be used for the 2027 general elections, and all candidates who are included in the list must meet the required qualifications.