PUNCH
The Serving Overseer of the Citadel Global Community Church, Pastor Tunde Bakare, says he visited the outgoing President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), last week and left the place so discouraged “that I need time to encourage myself in the Lord, my God.”
He explained that the discouragement he felt was the reason he turned down an invitation by the Governor of Kaduna State, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai, to inaugurate a road in Kaduna State.
The cleric and politician, during a webinar on Saturday, said he was putting the record straight, emphasising, “I didn’t go, I wasn’t there.”
He said this before delivering his speech on the Zoom programme titled ‘Building the New Nigeria: The Role of the Diaspora’ organised by the PTB4Nigeria In Diaspora Group.
“They wanted me to come and commission some road in Kaduna with my name written boldly on it. I see the road here, Isa Kaita Road, and they wrote on it (that) it was commissioned by Pastor Tunde Bakare on Friday, May 26, 2023. I wanted to share with you that I didn’t go, I wasn’t there,” Bakare said.
He read out a message he sent to El-Rufai through WhatsApp on Thursday explaining why he would not make it to the programme.
“Good morning, hope you had a good night’s rest. Sorry, I missed your call, I slept late last night, so I just got home. I would like to sincerely appeal to you to please release me from commissioning any road tomorrow (Friday).
“I’m so discouraged after I met with the President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), last night. I need time to encourage myself in the Lord my God.
“I’m not in the mood to discuss the cumulative effect of the past 13 years on me (2010 to 2023).
“I thank God for sparing my life and seeing me through it all. My confidence is in God alone and by his grace I will surely bounce back, and by his intervention, whichever way, Nigeria will still work in my lifetime,” he said.
He said he truly appreciated the invitation, “though last minute, to commission one of the many roads constructed in Kaduna during your tenure as governor.”
He said El-Rufai responded by saying “Na wa o, my Oga, what has he done to push you even to this state of mind? I’m sorry, sir, I understand if you’re unable to make it, we’re all struggling with the heartbreak of PMB.”
Bakare said he was not disappointed at all. “I know what God has said,” he added.
El-Rufai invited several dignitaries to inaugurate various infrastructure projects as part of the Urban Renewal Programme of his administration, on Friday.
