Popular cleric and Senior pastor of the Citadel Global Community Church, Lagos, Tunde Bakare, on Monday, formally declared to run for president on the platform of the ruling All Progressives Congress ((APC).
Mr Bakare, the running mate of President Muhammadu Buhari in the 2011 presidential election, made the declaration in Abuja, with a promise to set up a peace and reconciliation commission within 100 days in office, if elected in 2023.
The clergyman had last week bought the N100 million expression of interest and nomination forms of the ruling party, joining over 20 others who already procured the forms.
He said his campaign would be anchored on four pillars of peace, progress, prosperity and possibility.
In his speech, Mr Bakare explained that the peace and reconciliation commission would have the mandate to engage every aggrieved group in Nigeria and secure their commitment to dialogue for true nationhood.
To address the grievances, Mr Bakare promised to embark on constitutional reforms to decentralised powers.
“We will provide political leadership towards a pragmatic approach to constitutional reforms with a view to decentralising governance…Nigerians, the government will become more mobile and will come closer to you.”
Buhari is 15, I’m 16— Bakare
PREMIUM TIMES had reported how Mr Bakare had in a video that went viral in 2020, said he would be the one to succeed Mr Buhari.
“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 Muhammadu Buhari is number 15, and I am number 16,
“If he (Buhari) wants to run in 2019, I do not oppose. He’s still number 15. It’s when he steps out that I step in”, he said.
He went further to compare himself and Mr Buhari to the biblical figures — Moses and Joshua.
“His assignment is like 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 resources to the people of this nation,” he had said.
Last year, Mr Bakare even urged the president to nominate a successor to succeed him, prompting a response from Femi Adesina, that the “The president will not pick a successor.”
Mr Adesina added: “We know him (Buhari), he is not somebody like that. Will he be interested in the process? Yes, he will. He will ensure that there is a free, fair and credible election; that nobody will come to use money and resources to bamboozle his way into the leadership of the country.”
Mr Bakare, despite his relationship with Mr Buhari, has on several occasions criticised the current administration.
Large APC presidential race…
Mr Bakare will have to contend for the APC ticket with his kinsmen from Ogun State, Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, former Ogun State Governor, Ibikunle Amosun and former Speaker Speaker of House of Representatives, Dimeji Bankole.
Also, there are former Lagos State Governor, Bola Tinubu and Governor Kayode Fayemi of Ekiti State.
Former Senate President, Ken Nnamani, State Minister for Education, Emeka Nwajiuba, Labour and Employment Minister, Chris Ngige, former Imo governor, Rochas Okorocha, Governor Dave Umahi of Ebonyi State, Minister of Science and Technology, Ogbonnaya Onu and former Abia governor and serving senator, Orji Uzor Kalu, all from the South-east, are also in the race.
In addition, Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, Governor Ben Ayade of Cross River, former Governor Adams Oshiomhole of Edo State, and Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Godswill Akpabio, are the candidates from South-south.
Other contenders are Governor Abubakar Badaru of Jigawa State and Sani Yerima from the North-west. Governor Yahaya Bello of Kogi State is the only aspirant from the North-central.
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