Key Points

• Pastor Tunde Bakare slams Tinubu’s leadership in his Easter address.

• He calls for a change in leadership style due to rising challenges.

• Economic hardships have worsened under Tinubu’s administration, according to Bakare.

Pastor Tunde Bakare, founder of the Citadel Global Community Church, delivered a sharp critique of Nigeria’s leadership under President Bola Tinubu.

In his Easter Sunday state-of-the-nation broadcast, Bakare accused Tinubu of promoting a “motor park brand of politics.”

He warned that this has resulted in legislative dysfunction and a weakening of constitutional governance.

Bakare, a former presidential candidate, expressed his concerns about the concentration of power in the hands of a few.

He urged Tinubu to stop “playing God” and reflect on the dangers of unlimited power. “Nigeria is too delicate for the current brand of politics,” Bakare said. He further called for a change in leadership style to address the country’s growing political and economic challenges.

Bakare critiques handling of Senate disputes

In his speech, Bakare also addressed recent events in the Nigerian Senate, particularly the handling of sexual harassment allegations against Senate President Godswill Akpabio.

Bakare highlighted a heated exchange between Senator Onyekachi Nwebonyi and former Minister Oby Ezekwesili during a Senate Ethics Committee hearing.

Nwebonyi’s derogatory remarks towards Ezekwesili further buttressed Bakare’s concerns about the state of Nigerian politics.

He criticized the lack of humility and character among those entrusted with power, accusing them of undermining the country’s political institutions.

He warned that if this trend continues, Nigeria could face a “descent into tyranny” and the complete erosion of democratic values.

Economic hardships under Tinubu’s leadership

Bakare also turned his attention to Nigeria’s economic struggles. He accused Tinubu’s administration of implementing reforms that have exacerbated inflation.

Food prices have surged, and fuel prices have jumped by over 430%. Bakare noted that millions of Nigerians are now living in poverty.

According to him, Nigeria ranks among the countries with the highest misery indexes in the world.

Bakare pointed to the tragic stampede deaths in 2024 and reports of parents throwing their children over fences to access food.

These heartbreaking stories, he said, remind him of biblical famine, where people resorted to unimaginable actions to survive.

Bakare emphasized the need for compassionate and effective leadership that prioritizes the well-being of citizens.