Tunde Bakare Says Tinubu’s Rise Was Divine Says Only God Can Remove Him

Pastor Tunde Bakare, founder of the Citadel Global Community Church, has said that President Bola Tinubu’s emergence as Nigeria’s leader was an act of divine will and that only God can decide when his time in office ends.

Speaking at the inaugural Citadel School of Governance Dialogue Series in Lagos on Saturday, Bakare said Tinubu’s political journey and achievements were made possible through God’s hand. He described the president’s rise as part of a divine plan, not a coincidence.

According to the cleric, those who oppose Tinubu’s leadership should understand that if God intends to remove him, He will do so in His own way. Bakare said, “You can’t get the kind of thing Tinubu has brought without God’s support.”

Bakare also revealed that he had faced pressure from influential politicians and party leaders urging him to join the African Democratic Congress (ADC), but he declined. He said both senior figures and younger associates who had benefitted from the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) tried to persuade him to switch allegiance.

He explained that although he respects the need for strong opposition parties, his loyalty remains with the APC, a party he helped establish. “You don’t give birth to a child called APC and then try to destroy it,” he said, warning against internal division within the South-West similar to past political rifts.

Bakare, who contested the APC presidential primary in 2023 and was the running mate to Muhammadu Buhari in the 2011 election under the defunct Congress for Progressive Change (CPC), said he would continue to contribute to the party’s growth and national development rather than join another platform.

He emphasised that while Nigeria needs an effective opposition, his role is to help strengthen the ruling party from within, adding that unity and purpose are essential for the country’s progress.