By Kazeem Ugbodaga
Senior pastor and founder of the Citadel Global Community Church, Lagos, Tunde Bakare has continued to be in the news. He is supposed to be carrying the mantle of Elijah as a fiery preacher, but he has chosen to delve into the murky waters of politics and got his fingers burnt.
Bakare came into limelight many years ago when he prophesied that former President, Olusegun Obasanjo would die in office, but the prophesy never came to pass.
He is known for his loquaciousness and oratory prowess, easily talking gullible Nigerians to believe in his assertions.
In 2019, Bakare vividly told Nigerians that he would be the next president after Buhari in 2023. He used God’s name to buttress his points that he would be the 16th president of Nigeria. He even alluded the exact words of our Lord Jesus Christ to himself.
Bakare, in a viral video told his congregation that: “Take it to the mountain top if you have never heard it before. I am saying it to you this morning, in the scheme of things, as far as politics of Nigeria is concerned, President Buhari is number 15 and yours sincerely is number 16. I never said that to you before, I want to let you know it this morning; nothing can change it, in the name of Jesus. He (Buhari) is number 15; I am number 16.
“To this end was I born and for this purpose came I into the world. I have prepared for this for 30 years. When he (Buhari) chose to run in 2019, he is still number 15, when he steps out, I step in.
“His assignment is that of Moses, to take Nigeria to River Jordan, but he can’t cross it. It will take a Joshua to go to the other side and begin to distribute the resources to the people of this nation.”
Seeking to force his ambition through, Bakare purchased APC’s N100 million presidential form as he was deluded that he would replace Buhari.
On Tuesday, he was at the presidential primary election of the APC. Even while some seemingly heavyweights in the contest stepped down for the APC National Leader, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, Bakare refused to step down, calling on the delegates to vote for him. He never campaigned, he never had any delegate among the over 2,000 at the Eagle Square to decide the fate of the aspirants.
After a speech laced and garnished with his oratory prowess, Bakare’s fate was sealed. Then came the counting and sorting of votes, the announcer on the microphone announced his doom. “Pastor Tunde Bakare scores zero vote, Pastor Tunde Bakare scores zero vote.”
Oh! how is he going to become the 16th president now? Is God a liar? Never! “God forbid: yea, let God be true, but every man a liar.”
Critic, Reno Omokri mocked Bakare in a tweet: “Did the 16th President, Pastor @T_Bakare get up to 16 votes? I am looking at the result. Except my eyes are deceiving me, the 16th President has so far gotten zeros votes. Maybe he meant 16th President of the NURTW. He will take over from MC Oluomo!”
First published in PMNews
