Pastor Tunde Bakare Says He Will Never Call Tinubu "My President", Gives Reason

• Pastor Tunde Bakare, the Serving Overseer of the Citadel Global Community Church, said he would never refer to President-elect Bola Tinubu as his president
• Bakare expressed dissatisfaction with the conduct of the 2023 elections, alleging malpractices and criticizing the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC)'s handling of the process
• The cleric also mentioned that he had conveyed his views to President Muhammadu Buhari regarding his reluctance to acknowledge Tinubu as president

Pastor Tunde Bakare, the Serving Overseer of the Citadel Global Community Church, has said he will never call the President-elect, Bola Tinubu, his president.

The cleric and politician said this during a webinar on Saturday, May 27, The Punch reported.

He alleged a series of malpractices during the 2023 elections, saying the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) made a mess of the electioneering process.

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Legit.ng gathers that Pastor Bakare made the statement while responding during a Question & Answer session after delivering his speech on the Zoom programme titled ‘Building the New Nigeria: The Role of the Diaspora’ organised by the PTB4Nigeria In Diaspora Group.

2023 elections were below standard, says Tunde Bakare

Speaking further, Bakare said the 2023 elections were below acceptable standards, Leadership also reported.

Asked if he would be happy to work for the new government as a Minister of Diaspora Engagements, he laughed and said he would say what he said to President Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), last week.

He said he told Buhari that sometimes he called him President of Nigeria and other times, he called him “My President.”

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Bakare said:

“Last Wednesday, I was at the Glass House where he (Buhari) has been restricted now because the main house is being renovated. I said I have done that for you. I want you to know that, because of the circumstances of your flying into power on the wings of integrity and incorruptibility, but you’re now passing onto someone who does not have that value.

He said that at “any public lecture anywhere, before this mess is cleared off, I will address Asiwaju (Tinubu) as a President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria but I will never call him my president.”

Bakare said he didn’t participate in the elections, and therefore, no one could say he lost.

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Bakare, who participated in the All Progressives Congress presidential primary in June 2022, where nomination forms were sold for N100 million, polled no single vote.

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Tinubu will, on Monday, May 29, be sworn in as the President of the country.

Nigerians react to Tunde Bakare's statement

Eze Infinity commented on Facebook:

"We are all of the same opinion, sir, he is the INEC president."

Titus Tuwan also said:

"A stolen mandate to rule Nigeria is not the best for this country."

Freeman Nation commented:

I remember during the primary, this pastor says he's not stepping down for anyone and he got ZERO vote."

Paddy Ndubuisi said:

"Whether he likes it or not Tinubu is his president."

Tino Vegass said:

"Coming from the same pastor that once said God told him he's the next president of the federation."

Ajibodu Bashir said:

"You are not expected to be calling him my president but when he gives directive as constitution empowered him please in your own interests do not disobey."

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Meanwhile, Legit.ng earlier reported that Obidike Chukwuebuka, a member of the All Progressives Congress (APC), advised Pastor Bakare to retract a previous statement he made about Tinubu.

Bakare had spoken against Tinubu's presidential bid in his state-of-the-nation address on Sunday, January 15.

The cleric warned against the politics of entitlement, describing it as bad. He also made reference to the Yoruba word, ‘Emi lokan”, meaning it is my turn.

Source: Legit.ng