By Ifedayo Adebayo
   

Tunde Bakare is the pastor of the Latter Rain Assembly Lagos, a human rights activist and the coordinator of Save Nigeria Group. He was yesterday named the running mate for former head of state, Muhammadu Buhari, under the party, Congress for Progressive Change (CPC). In an interview with NEXT, Mr. Bakare talks about how he has gone from staging street protests to vice presidential candidate.

Why did you accept to run with Muhammadu Buhari?

If you understand my passion for this country, demonstrated over the years, I want to see a Nigeria that works in my lifetime and that was one of the motivations that started the Save Nigeria Group. In all my ministerial life, maybe three quarters of my messages are all on Nigeria and what is happening to the country at large.

In October last year, after meeting so many political gladiators, some of them are now party candidates. I came across so many of them, and I can say today that so far, one of them that I have found worthy in terms of credibility is Buhari. He needs to just build bridges with others so that we can win this election. All the time I was doing that, I never knew that I was going to take part in the political process other than just mobilizing people to vote in the 2011 elections, but all I know is that he wants me and when he made the call to ask me if I would consider running with him, I made consultations, and at the end of the day, I felt this is one way to contribute to the future of my country.

Before he called you, did you ever contemplate seeking an elective post or going into politics?

Not in 2010, not in 2011. I never considered running for any offices. As a matter of fact, in all that you have been reading or listening to, I said so that I am not going to take part in the political process other than mobilize the people.

So it was his call that led to your change of mind?

Well, I think so, and because of the situation in my country. Whether one person is running or the other person is running, I think that all Nigerians should be running. I am being modest. I think that all Nigerians should wake up and rise up now to do what is right.

Critics are saying that religious leaders should not go into politics. What do you say to them?

In Romans 13, the Bible says that every authority that exists is ordained by God and he calls those in government, ministers of God almighty. So ministry is not limited to the pulpit. Ministry is whatever you are doing to serve God and humanity.

How will your involvement in politics affect your ministry?

Every man has his own shoes. Latter Rain Assembly is not a personality call, neither is it Tunde Bakare’s property. There have been others ministering at the same time I have been ministering. I am just the overseer and not the owner and founder. Jesus founded the church and people serve in the church. So there will never be conflict between what I am doing and the church.

President Goodluck Jonathan is enjoying an incumbent’s privilege. does that worry you?

Well, as a matter of fact, President Jonathan himself is a child of necessity. It is the death of President Umaru Yar’Adua that brought him into the office and I respect that office, and the truth is if Nigerians are not troubled and Nigerians are getting what they should get, nobody would even be thinking of contesting an election against him. I know there are professional politicians who seize every four years for them to rise up, but if someone is doing a good job, running against such a person is a vision stud. You will lose everything, including your resources and efforts. But right now, the cry of an average Nigerian is ‘anything but PDP’, but we are not just going to replace them with just anybody. We need to get credible people and we will move this nation forward and pull it from the brinks.

Do you mean that Nigerians deserve more than what the present government is giving?

Exactly. Even looking [at the past] 50 years, Nigerians deserve better.

What agenda do you have for Nigerians, and why do you think they should vote for you?

The issue of manifesto will be made public by the party very soon. It is being worked upon, but I am sure that we are not going to make promises we can’t deliver. We will have action programs and timelines for the delivery. By the time these plans are concluded, I am sure we wil have a press conference through which we will let Nigerians know all these.

As vice president of Nigeria, what should people expect?

They should expect that their interests will be uppermost in my heart and in the heart of General Buhari and in the heart of CPC. This country has potential and it time to turn that potential into serious energy and transformation.

Just a few months into its establishment, how far do you think CPC can go in this coming election?

Seeing PDP as an agent of oppression, every other party is trying to spread to the length and breadth of the country. One thing we must remember is that as a people, we don’t learn from history. We are very quick in forgetting history. Action Group won the Western region election within six months of formation, so with a lot of hard work and a lot of critical planning and creative strategy, CPC can easily win this election because people are tired of PDP.

Can CPC break ACN’s grip on the Southwest?

The word used is most attracting, you said ‘grip’. If anybody grips your neck, is that a good thing? So we need to break that grip and let the Southwest be free. I acknowledged all that has been working before, but the time has come to enlarge our coast and to let our people choose who they really want to represent them.



Does this announcement mean the end of alliance talks with ACN?

It shouldn’t be, under normal circumstances, because when General [Buhari] was chosen as the CPC candidate, it is normal to choose who his vice or running mate will be. He has made that choice and that does not stop the alliance talks, just as the talks surrounding the alliance does not stop the ACN from chosing their own presidential candidates. It is part of the talk that has been on before that time and what is good for the goose should be good for the gander. It shouldn’t destroy the alliance if all we have been talking about is not just winning an election, but pulling Nigeria from the brim and getting it to its best. I am still of the opinion that all the parties can still work together to deliver Nigeria from going into utter ruin.

Was the Save Nigeria group created for the purpose of Buhari's presidency as it has been speculated?

Well, you can do some investigation yourself, because now you want me to be a judge in my own court. At the time Save Nigeria Group began, it was to address a major and vital issue — the issue of power hijack. Those who were not elected to serve in the office of the presidency of the country were exercising the authority to do what they liked. It was the health issue that took President Yar’Adua away that brought us into the streets. It was not PDP or CPC that took us to the streets. It was after that time that we now began to start thinking of 2011 to be the year of the voters and the year that our citizenship must be enlightened; social mobility must be restored and sovereignty must be the lot of our people. We must choose the best, the most competent and the country people must be free to express themselves at the polls. That was the purpose for the SNG; it has nothing to do with this party or that party and it has never teamed up with any political party.

What impact do you think that your political interests will now have on the group?

The group will select new officers, because before now — let’s face the reality — prominent faces and names you can link with SNG included Prof. Wole Soyinka. Femi Falana and so on and so forth. Femi Falana is the national chairman of National Conscience. Wole Soyinka is the chairperson of the board of another party. Amongst us are professional politicians and those who have political interests. At no time has SNG said that these people cannot express themselves, especially at election time to choose or to participate in the process so that they can be voted for. So SNG will still remain an organ like a watchdog to ensure democratic values in our political culture.

Many believe that Buhari is a religious fanatic. How do you see him?

I have had the privilege of sitting with him, to see his environment, to see what he does. He relates with all kinds of people from different backgrounds, different walks of life and different religious persuasions. To be fair to him, yes, he is a good muslim. As you know, by God’s grace, I am also a practising Christian and if such a man can say today that he is appointing a pastor to be his running mate, does that not confirm he is not? So that is it.

http://234next.com/csp/cms/sites/Next/Home/5670749-146/there_will_never_be_conflict_between.csp

What is he going to preach now in Latter Rain? That it is ok to be Muslim after he has spent decades calling them devils? Yes, I have been in his church.
There is simply no place for Pastors in politics.

Beaf:

What is he going to preach now in Latter Rain? That it is ok to be Muslim after he has spent decades calling them devils? Yes, I have been in his church.
There is simply no place for Pastors in politics.

You are too obnoxious for my liking, I wonder why you haven't been banned

voros:

You are too obnoxious for my liking, I wonder why you haven't been banned

Hmmmm! Very "intellectual" input to the thread! Wow!

He should ask Dokpesi and AIT what their experience has been.

honestly this tunde bakare news messed up my day big time,i know we are not supposed to judge men of God,but this is just too much,what is he thinking for

pete's sake, the bible says clearly and conscisely, do not be unequally yoked with unbelievers(people who don't share your faith and beliefs),so what is he

doing being the running mate to Buhari. im just so dissapointed

tjskii:

honestly this tunde bakare news messed up my day big time,i know we are not supposed to judge men of God,but this is just too much,what is he thinking for

pete's sake, the bible says clearly and conscisely, do not be unequally yoked with unbelievers(people who don't share your faith and beliefs),so what is he

doing being the running mate to Buhari. im just so dissapointed

Why? He has just been revealed for what he always was, a fake person masquerading as a pastor, cos that was where he thought he could make the most money.

Now he thinks he has a shot at government money, he has ditched the "Christians" and is coming out. He is just a big thief, what a shame.

tjskii:

honestly this tunde bakare news messed up my day big time,i know we are not supposed to judge men of God,but this is just too much,what is he thinking for

pete's sake, the bible says clearly and conscisely, do not be unequally yoked with unbelievers(people who don't share your faith and beliefs),so what is he

doing being the running mate to Buhari. im just so dissapointed

what exactly does it mean to be 'unequally yoked' with someone? Was that passage, which you gleefully took out of context here, not referring to marriage?

tjskii:

honestly this tunde bakare news messed up my day big time,i know we are not supposed to judge men of God,but this is just too much,what is he thinking for

pete's sake, the bible says clearly and conscisely, do not be unequally yoked with unbelievers(people who don't share your faith and beliefs),so what is he

doing being the running mate to Buhari. im just so dissapointed

when gej was yoked to umya that was

when xtians work for dangote, that is

the anti buhari/bakare don run come here. see as they are running helter skelter!
we love going to Dubai, but we dont wast to associate with muslims. mumus, dem plenty!

Mai Suya:

what exactly does it mean to be 'unequally yoked' with someone? Was that passage, which you gleefully took out of context here, not referring to marriage?

i did not"gleefully' take that passage out of context,being unequally yoked does not refer to the marriage institution alone,but to every facet of life,can two

people work together except they agree? And how can you work together or agree if you don't share similar attitudes and belief,hence the contextual usage

of being unequally yoked, especially as the individual involved, is supposed to be a man of God,who should know better,

tjskii:

i did not"gleefully' take that passage out of context,being unequally yoked does not refer to the marriage institution alone,but to every facet of life,can two

people work together except they agree? And how can you work together or agree if you don't share similar attitudes and belief,hence the contextual usage

of being unequally yoked, especially as the individual involved, is supposed to be a man of God,who should know better,

Christians and flip flopping

i had enough debates in the religion section in which christians aggressively defended their right to work with/for unbelievers.

There will actually be conflict. One that comes to mind is the popular bible phrase "Touch not my annointed and do my prophet no harm". Will this apply when Bakare becomes th VP and becomes answerable to Nigerians?

am surprise hw dumb some people are what is wrong if a pastor decide to vie for elective post ? even d bible says we sholuld rejoice when the righteous are in government.
ride on buhari/bakare we the true masses are behind u.

Separation between Church & State!

It is never good to mix religion with politics.

“The best lack all conviction, while the worst are full of passionate intensity.”

To say Pastor Bakare's involvement in politics did not shock will be a huge lie but like he rightly pointed out most of us want anything apart from PDP but also not just anything but a ticket that offers hope. I hope they win. I actually had said the only thing that will stop me voting Buhari is if Tinubu happens to be his VP so they can have my vote.

I thought Buhari would have chosen someone from South East maybe Ngige or even Pat Utomi.

I can imagine how govt business will start at Aso Rock with two very religious men, one going Allahu Akbar, Allahu Akbar! And the other going, Blood of Jesus, Blood of Jesus!

. . .Recipe for disaster.

[img]http://2.bp..com/_UfHzq863QuI/TQ49_czctHI/AAAAAAAABws/eXrbAeYVdyc/s1600/GEJ.png[/img]

my name is goodluck ebele johnathan and i see demons

i am incompetent, the sss and police are incompetent, so you people better join me in praying that the bombers will confess

all together now . . .

EzeUche_:

Separation between Church & State!

It is never good to mix religion with politics.

This is very true. I wonder why most of these deluded people can not see this.

Those who work in organisations owned by Moslems, If your boss is a moslem, If your landlord is Hindu o are you not unequally yoked with an unbeliever?

Was GEJ a xtian not unequally yoked with UMYA? even if you are living in a state ruled by a Moslem like Lagos, I expect you to move out or stop paying taxes

I tire for these xtians self

tjskii:

i did not"gleefully' take that passage out of context,being unequally yoked does not refer to the marriage institution alone,but to every facet of life,can two

Sorry, but yes, you did GLEEFULLY take that passage out of context.  Unless you are going to tell us next that Jesus in every facet of his life avoided contact with those who are not of his kind, I suggest you put a cork in it before you blaspheme.

tjskii:

people work together except they agree? And how can you work together or agree if you don't share similar attitudes and belief,hence the contextual usage

See me see wahala!!! So, you have never in your life worked in a room full of those who do not personally agree with or subscribe to your chosen religion?

tjskii:

of being unequally yoked, especially as the individual involved, is supposed to be a man of God,who should know better,

Please stop making Christians look like fools! Stop, I beg you in the name of God who you seem to think you should SPEAK FOR(when He is capable of handling his own, if at all).

If you have a problem with the man, Bakare, say you do. Don't try to DRAG GOD TO YOUR SIDE OF THE DEBATE when it is all too clear you are probably another clueless individual when it comes to what the Bible says.

Where is johndoe200? Please come here and sing that our song.

It seems really odd for Pastor Tunde Bakare to want to vie for elective post with somebody like Buhari. Apart from the fact that Pastor Bakare have made utterances condemning past military head of states, their temperaments seem so much alike. Bakare is naturally impatient and has a history of being insurbodinate while Buhari is very heady and stubborn as well. How they will work together successfully is still a mirage.

EzeUche_:

Separation between Church & State!

It is never good to mix religion with politics.

you are my hero!
hes going to be in a serious moral dilema should he become VP
which will have to come first his religion or the constitution?
you simply cannot be a MOG and a politician
water and oil dont mix

personally if wishes were horses I will like him to become the president because of his staunch morals
but that cannot work in this country or in this world as a matter of fact