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Presidency Fires Back At Pastor Bakare Over Criticism

ByTitilope Adako

PublishedApril 21, 2025

The Tinubu administration has responded to a fiery Easter sermon by Pastor Tunde Bakare, who condemned the government for worsening economic hardship, democratic decline, and abuse of power.

Speaking during his State of the Nation address at The Citadel Global Community Church in Oregun, Lagos, Bakare decried what he called the erosion of democratic institutions and Nigeria’s drift into a “mafia state.”

He criticised those in leadership for lacking humility and integrity, urging President Bola Tinubu to seek wise counsel and lead with empathy.

Reacting on behalf of the Presidency, Daniel Bwala, Special Adviser to the President on Policy Communication, described the sermon as “quite objective.”

“He gave his general opinion on events and decisions of government; he critiqued certain policies and applauded some; he further offered his suggestions on the way forward,” Bwala said.

“Importantly, he acknowledged the successes and strides of the President and his administration. Although we differ with him in some areas, we respect his right to speak his mind and assure him, as with many Nigerians, that President Tinubu is committed to fulfilling his promise to the people. Happy Easter and best wishes to the good people of Nigeria.”

Bakare, however, maintained that Nigeria’s legislature had become submissive to the executive, highlighting recent developments in the Senate, including the silencing of Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan during a call for accountability from Senate President Godswill Akpabio.

He accused senators of disgracing their office and said the country’s political culture had been overtaken by what he termed “motor park politics” — a crude form of politicking encouraged by long-standing politicians and worsened under Tinubu’s watch.

According to him, the current political system was on the verge of dictatorship, warning against granting the executive unchecked power.

“Our so-called leaders are determined to turn Nigeria into a mafia state. The two main contenders in this institutional immorality are the executive and the legislature,” Bakare said.

He questioned how long Nigeria’s democratic institutions would remain underdeveloped despite 26 years of uninterrupted democracy, insisting that the real problem lies with those occupying public office.

He said, “The quality of leadership in Nigeria has become so repugnant that citizens must declare a state of emergency on governance, demanding that every aspiring public office holder undergo rigorous psychiatric evaluation before seeking election.”

Bakare also tackled the administration’s economic reforms, including the removal of fuel subsidy and naira devaluation, blaming them for worsening inflation, food insecurity, and general hardship.

While he acknowledged that difficult reforms often bring short-term pain, he said the government had not done enough to cushion their impact.

He called for more empathy and accountability from those in power.

He stressed the need for psychological evaluation of public office seekers, arguing that a lack of wisdom and decency in leadership had damaged the nation’s institutions.

Despite his harsh criticisms, Bakare admitted some progress under Tinubu, such as the rise in foreign reserves from $35 billion in May 2023 to $40 billion by November 2024.

However, he said these achievements were not enough to overshadow the administration’s broader failures.

Titilope Adako

Titilope Adako is a talented and intrepid journalist, dedicated to shedding light on the untold stories of Osun State and Nigeria. Through incisive reporting, she tackles a broad spectrum of topics, from politics and social justice to culture and entertainment, with a commitment to accuracy, empathy, and inspiring positive change.