Pastor Tunde Bakare of Citadel Global Community Church insists there was no formal agreement between him and late President Muhammadu Buhari regarding succession.
On Monday’s episode of Channels Television’s Politics Today, Bakare clarified that Buhari never signed a written pact to hand over power to him. He emphasized his deep respect for the former head of state, saying, “He’s late. I will never say anything unfair about him.”
Bakare, who was Buhari’s running mate in the 2011 election, recounted how Buhari privately expressed a preference for him to succeed. “There was a kind of look — ‘you’re one of those I would love to succeed me’ — and he did his best,” he explained.
The pastor also noted Buhari’s inclusive approach during the APC primaries. According to Bakare, Buhari gathered all presidential hopefuls at the Presidential Villa just before the primaries and encouraged them to freely support whoever they believed was best suited to succeed him, stating, “I’m asking you today to freely choose the person I desire to succeed me.”
Bakare urged Nigerians to properly appreciate Buhari’s legacy now that he has passed. He fondly remembered Buhari as a forthright leader who allowed fair competition and treated everyone with dignity, urging the public to recognize those qualities moving forward.
