Leonard Kawas, president-general of the Charismatic Bishops Conference of Nigeria (CBCN), has defended the group’s endorsement of President Bola Tinubu’s re-election bid, saying his involvement in Nigerian politics did not begin with the current administration.

Kawas made the statement during an interview on Arise TV on Saturday, September 12, 2026, amid criticism from Nigerians who questioned his credentials as a bishop following the endorsement.

The cleric said he had spent 25 years in the clergy and had previously supported several political leaders, including former Presidents Olusegun Obasanjo and Goodluck Jonathan, as well as Atiku Abubakar and Peter Obi.

According to him, he was not accused of being a fake bishop during those campaigns.

“I travelled around this country with Doyin Okupe. I travelled around this country at 2 am with John Dara and others. We were campaigning from church to church, and nobody called me a fake bishop,” Kawas said.

He also recalled his support for Reverend Jolly Nyame, who later became governor of Taraba State. Kawas said Nyame appointed him chairman of the Christian Welfare Board after assuming office.

“I campaigned for my leader, reverend Jolly Nyame, and he became governor of my state, Taraba state. He appointed me chairman of the Christian Welfare Board, and nobody called me fake then,” he said.

Support for Peter Obi

Kawas said he supported Peter Obi during the early stages of Obi’s presidential ambition and travelled with him to campaign across the country.

He said he financed the transportation of six clergymen during the campaigns and received no financial payment from Obi.

“I supported Peter Obi at the initial stage of his presidential ambition. I went with him everywhere in Nigeria. And he never gave me one dollar, one naira,” he said.

“Neither did he even ever ask me one day how I came to the campaign. He will just see me at the campaign, and we will pray for him. I paid for the transportation of six clergymen. And nobody called me fake. We were on television everywhere.”

 Defence of Jonathan support

The CBCN president-general also said his support for Goodluck Jonathan began when Jonathan was deputy governor of Bayelsa State.

Kawas said he later joined Jonathan’s presidential campaign and served on his campaign council.

“I was one of the people who prophesied that we would see him in Abuja. And he came to Abuja, and he became vice-president and then president from the doctrine of necessity,” he said.

He added that he was the only bishop on Jonathan’s presidential campaign council and helped take the campaign to different parts of the country.

“I was on his presidential campaign council. I was the only bishop in Goodluck Jonathan’s presidential campaign council, and I took the campaign everywhere. Nobody called me fake,” Kawas said.

 ‘Is it now because I support Tinubu?’

Kawas questioned why his decision to support Tinubu had led to questions about his identity as a bishop.

“Is it now, because I have prayed and God has led me to support Bola Tinubu, that I suddenly become fake?” he asked.

His comments come as the CBCN’s endorsement of Tinubu continues to attract public debate, with critics challenging the clerics’ support for the president’s re-election bid.