Thw founder of Citadel Global Community Church (formerly known as Latter Rain Assembly), Pastor Tunde Bakare, has hinted he could run for the 2023 presidential elections.
The man of God made this known on Friday, October 15, after a private meeting with the President Muhammadu Buhari at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.
In 2011, Bakare, was the running mate of Buhari on the platform of the Congress for Progressive Change.
Speaking with State House Correspondents after the meeting, he said the visit was to “dispense what was in my heart” to the President.
Asked whether he would contest the 2023 presidential election, he said he would, only if ‘God’ and ‘Nigerians’ want him to.
Bakare said; “Every Nigerian, who is of age and who is not disqualified by any means, is free. I’m a nation builder, if God wants me to do that, and the people of Nigeria will appreciate that, why not? I’m as free as anybody to do anything with my time. I’ve pastored a church for 33 years, now we raise new leaders. I want to focus on nation-building.
“The Office of the President is only one office, there are so many other things we can do as people to support whoever is there to make sure that we do not go into retrogression, but begin to make steady progress as a people. I’ve already communicated clearly, my future plans to Mr. President, and it stays between us.”
On power rotation, Bakare stated, “I had said it on October 3. It’s our immaturity, politically and otherwise, that makes us say power must either be in the North or be in the South, instead of looking for the best, the fittest, the most competent, and people of character, who love this nation.
“Not where they come from, it’s what they carry and what they have to offer. May the best of the best of Nigerians rise, whether they’re from the east, from the west, from the north, and from the south.
“If there are agreements between politicians among themselves on rotation, a bargain is a bargain. That’s between them. But as far as this country is concerned, what we need at this stage is a man who can drive us to the Eldorado.”