By our reporter/ The Serving Overseer, Citadel Global Community Church, (formerly The Latter Rain Assembly), Lagos, Tunde Bakare on Sunday called out the government of President Muhammadu Buhari, and dared them to come after him if the government was offended by his recent pronouncements.
Bakare, who stated this during his sermon, said the Buhari government had jettisoned the search for justice and replaced same with intimidation and brutality.
The outspoken pastor was the running mate to Buhari when the President contested the presidential election on the platform of the now defunct Congress for Progressive Change in 2011 and was was one of his cheer leader during the 2015 presidential election.
“I dare you to come after me since that is the usual style now. You might have done it to others; you are about to learn a lesson if you touch me,” Bakare said on Sunday.
“If you know what I have done in secret, bring it to the open. I dare you to come after me if you can. I worked with you; I worked for you; I supported you to get there (where you are). When I talk now, I now have a smelly mouth.
“I’m not interested in meeting you any longer; no more visits. Now, it is war, because Nigeria must be set free.”
Bakare who reeled out how he supported the top official (believed to be President Buhari) to get to his current position, wondered if he had forgotten what transpired between them when only the two were alone in a room after he had vowed never to contest again after losing out on three occasions.
“Have you forgotten that you vowed never to contest again. I said ‘not so’. I showed you how you can win the next election and you agreed to run and you won. I was not considering myself but concerned about how Nigeria can become great, Bakare questioned.
“Winning an election is a different thing; doing the right thing is another. No one must behave as if Nigeria is a personal property. Nigeria must be set free and any obstruction along the way must be removed; it must get out of the way.
“I declare to you ‘Nigeria-for-Nigeria Movement’. I’m prepared to lead this movement. Nigeria is not a one man property. This movement will liberate Nigeria.”
Bakare recalled how he declared in the heydays of late Gen Sani Abacha, that his (Abacha) days were numbered, and urged Nigerians to be prepared for a change of baton.
He also carpeted the Buhari government for expending so much energy clamping down on sectional agitators in the country, eventhough, he does not support any one or groups taking up arms against the state.
“I don’t support any act of violence, taking up arms against the country and killing people. Those are in the realm of criminality and anybody doing that must be brought to book,” Bakare said.
“However, we must realise that what has given rise to the agitation is lack of justice and equity. When there is justice, when there is equity, agitation will die down.
“How can you be expending so much energy on Igboho and Kanu? Igboho and Kanu are not Nigeria’s problems.
“Nigeria must restructure and no one can stop that.”
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