Nigerian pastor and politician, Tunde Bakare, has dismissed suggestions that he betrayed the Christian faith by running as former President Muhammadu Buhari’s running mate in the 2011 presidential election.
Speaking on Channels Television, Bakare responded to critics who accused him of aligning with a man many at the time described as an “Islamic extremist.” He insisted that his decision to run alongside Buhari under the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) was not a betrayal, but a calculated political move based on conviction and trust.
“Before I became his running mate, there were all kinds of stories that he was a religious bigot and fundamentalist. But when I got close, I discovered a different person,” Bakare said. “In all the years we worked together, I did not see corruption in him.”
Bakare came under fire from some Christian leaders and members of the public for accepting to run on a Muslim-Muslim ticket with Buhari. However, he maintained that politics must not be defined by religious sentiment, and said his actions were consistent with his Christian principles.
“I was called a betrayer by some, but if I didn’t take that step, would someone like Yemi Osinbajo later become vice president? We have to get involved to make a difference,” he said. “The priesthood of Jesus Christ is not just spiritual; it involves influencing the world.”
Bakare paid tribute to Buhari, who died in London at the age of 82 and is to be buried in Daura, Katsina State, on Tuesday. Reflecting on their collaboration, he described Buhari as disciplined, humble, and incorruptible.
He noted that Buhari was a man of few words who made decisions based on conviction and evidence. “He watched and listened before acting. When the APC was to be launched at Eagle Square, Buhari personally asked me to move the motion after watching how I corrected the draft,” Bakare said.
Despite political missteps and national challenges during Buhari’s presidency, Bakare maintained that the former president’s character and integrity were never in doubt. He recalled Buhari’s service as governor of the North-Eastern State, commissioner for petroleum, chairman of the Petroleum Trust Fund under Sani Abacha, head of state, and later as elected president.
“Did anybody trace a petrol station to him? Did he ever enrich himself? No,” Bakare said. “The man gave all he had to Nigeria. Maybe his best wasn’t good enough for everyone, but he did his best.”
Bakare, who leads the Citadel Global Community Church, also reflected on Nigeria’s political structure, arguing that the current system undermines progress. He said Buhari may not have achieved all he intended due to the people around him and structural limitations.
“Our system is so bad that even a clean man in a dirty environment can end up stained,” he said. “We need to fix the foundation — the Constitution, the institutions, and the calibre of those in government.”
Bakare also recalled his role in the formation of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the political alliance that brought Buhari back to power in 2015. He said he helped bridge the divide between Buhari’s CPC and Bola Tinubu’s Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN).
“We went to him in London and said, ‘You must return. Let’s merge with ACN.’ And it happened. God answered that prayer,” he said.
As preparations continue for Buhari’s state burial, Bakare described the late president as a patriot who made sacrifices for Nigeria. “He worked for Nigeria, not for himself. I’m glad the country is giving him the honour he deserves,” he said.
