President Bola Tinubu on Wednesday received Tunde Bakare, founder of the Citadel Global Community Church, at his Lagos residence.
Bayo Onanuga, special adviser to the president on information and strategy, shared a photo of the visit via his official X account.
Bakare was among the aspirants in the 2023 presidential primaries of the All Progressives Congress (APC). He scored no delegate votes as Tinubu won the election with 1,217 votes.
Speaking in an interview with the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA) after meeting with Tinubu, Bakare said his lifelong vision is to see a functional and prosperous Nigeria.
“My life, personal vision, is to see a nation that works in my lifetime. And those things I’ve discussed with Mr President,” he said.
“They’re not hidden things, but I’ve learnt that when you discuss with the person in charge, you leave it with him to do whatsoever he wills with what you’ve suggested.
“So, I’ve had a private conversation with Mr President, and I’m glad that he received me well. And I trust that God will help our nation.”
On what specific areas he discussed with the president, Bakare said the details would remain confidential.
“God guiding him and giving him wisdom will help this nation not to slide or go down the drain, but to bounce back so that he can leave a mark that cannot be erased,” he said.
When asked what he hopes to see in the next two years of the administration, Bakare listed peace, unity and meaningful progress.
“I’d like to see a peaceful nation. I’d like to see Nigerians being their brothers’ keeper,” he said.
“I’d like to see a good collaboration between the best of the north and the best of the south to steer Nigeria in the right direction.
“I’d like to see predictable progress in our nation. We have danced around some subjects for too long a time. It’s time to take concrete action to ensure that the masses of our country do not live in abject poverty.”
On April 20, Bakare asked Tinubu to accept advice and “stop playing God”.
During his state of the nation broadcast in Lagos, Bakare said the president should implement a “coordinated programme” to steer Nigeria out of its current crisis.
The cleric also condemned the senate’s suspension of Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, the Kogi central senator, the declaration of a state of emergency in Rivers by Tinubu, and the subsequent ratification by the national assembly.
In response, the senate leadership said Bakare’s remarks on the national assembly’s role in the declaration of emergency rule in Rivers state and suspension of Akpoti-Uduaghan were misleading.
Yemi Adaramodu, chairman of the senate committee on media and public affairs, said the red chamber was compelled to respond to Bakare’s comments, describing the remarks as “crossing the line”.
Describing Bakare as a cleric and political voice, Adaramodu said the senate acknowledged the cleric’s past contributions to national conversations but noted that his statement was laced with “contempt and unsubstantiated claims”.
