Tunde Bakare Visits Tinubu After Criticizing Him And Vowing Never To Call Him “President”

President Bola Tinubu met with Pastor Tunde Bakare, leader of the Citadel Global Community Church, on Wednesday in Lagos.

The meeting was made public by Bayo Onanuga, the President’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, who shared the update via a post on X.

Bakare, who ran for president under the All Progressives Congress (APC) in 2022, said his conversation with President Tinubu focused on Nigeria’s progress and future.

He emphasized that the goal wasn’t just to express concerns but to contribute ideas that could help the country move forward.

“It’s not about just reservations. It’s about how the country will go well. My personal vision is to see a nation that works in my lifetime, and those things I’ve discussed with Mr President, they’re not hidden things, but I’ve learned that when you discuss with the person in charge, you leave it with him to do whatsoever he wills with what you have 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,” the cleric said.

He also expressed his hopes for a more united and peaceful Nigeria, stressing the importance of collaboration between different parts of the country.

Pastor Tunde Bakare said, “I’d like to see Nigerians being their brother’s keeper. I like to see 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 mercies of our country do not live in abject poverty, that’s all.”

Notably, this visit comes just weeks after Bakare strongly criticized President Tinubu’s leadership.

Back in April, he accused the President of leading the country in the wrong direction and warned that the relationship between the executive and the legislature was becoming too cozy, weakening Nigeria’s democracy.

He also criticized the National Assembly, accusing it of losing its independence under Tinubu’s influence.

These remarks sparked backlash, especially from the Senate, which called out Bakare for his comments during his Easter State-of-the-Nation address.

The Senate’s spokesperson, Senator Yemi Adaramodu, said Bakare went too far, especially with his claim that the National Assembly had become the “48th member” of Tinubu’s cabinet.

KanyiDaily recalls that after the election, Pastor Tunde Bakare also vowed that he wouldn’t refer to Bola Tinubu as his president.