Senior Pastor of Citadel Global Community Church (CGCG) in Ikeja, Lagos, Pastor Tunde Bakare, has told President Muhammadu Buhari to champion pragmatic restructuring before the 2023 general polls even as he charged\u00a0 Nigerians to shift their focus from zoning arrangements to the candidates\u2019 competencies and character.<\/p>\n
This, he said was the first step the President\u00a0 could tackle the country\u2019s myriads of challenges.<\/p>\n
Bakare argued that Nigeria is currently finding it difficult to make progress because it is resting on a faulty political structure.<\/p>\n
Bakare spoke during his \u2018State of the Nation\u2019 address titled: The Black Box of Nigeria\u2019s Politics at his church headquarters in Oregun, Ikeja, Lagos State.<\/p>\n
He urged the President to \u201ctear down\u201d the 1999 Constitution, describing it as the country\u2019s \u201cglorified death certificate\u201d.<\/p>\n
The fiery lawyer and cleric, who was President Buhari\u2019s running mate in the 2011 presidential poll, warned that unless this is done, the President might not be regarded in history as a success.<\/p>\n
said: \u201cI say to President Buhari: Mr. President, stop passing the buck to the National Assembly. Tear down this inhibiting concoction of a constitution. Tear it down so we can build a truly great nation!<\/p>\n
\u201cThis is one enduring legacy your administration can still secure before your time in power draws to a close. If you do, present and unborn generations of Nigerians will remember you for it and write your name in gold when the history of this period is written.<\/p>\n
\u201cIf you don\u2019t, history will record that you failed to rise to the occasion and squandered a great opportunity.\u201d<\/p>\n
The popular preacher said the people around the President were fatigued and that there should be a \u201cchange of guard\u201d.<\/p>\n
\u201cEveryone looks tired around the President and we need a change of guard to bring in competent people to handle critical issues. That\u2019s what I mean by change of guard. I\u2019m not advocating a coup d\u2019etat. God forbid, because that would set us back many years again.<\/p>\n
\u201cMilitary coup landed us in trouble many years. Anyone thinking about changing our system, it is illegal. I didn\u2019t say change of government. I said a change of guards,\u201d Bakare emphasized.<\/p>\n
He argued that the qualifications of the next President were more important than his region of origin.<\/p>\n
\u201cIf you think election 2023 is our priority, then you\u2019re putting the cart before the horse. I\u2019m not saying there will be no election in 2023; I\u2019m only saying certain things have to be put in place before that time. Look at how tense election is looking like in Anambra State. Look at the tension,\u201d Bakare said.<\/p>\n
The preacher dissociated himself from running in the next general election.<\/p>\n
He explained that when a reporter recently asked if he was going to throw his hat in the ring for any election, his response was: \u201cI said to him to look at my head very well, that I\u2019m not wearing any cap. So, there\u2019s nothing to throw anywhere.\u201d<\/p>\n
On rotational presidency, Bakare said: \u201cIf there is rotation, as accepted policy to make Nigeria peaceful, so be it. But shouldn\u2019t we be much more concerned about who leads us, rather than where they come from? Is the person competent? Does he have character? Does he have capacity? What are the things he is bringing to the table? These should be the things we are concerned with.\u201d<\/p>\n
The cleric also announced the inauguration of Nigeria for Nigerians (aka N4N) Movement that will \u201cshake Nigeria more than Save Nigeria Group did and involve Nigerians in the Diaspora\u201d.<\/p>\n
According to him, the launch is an indication that \u201cit is time for Nigerians to take back Nigeria\u201d.<\/p>\n
In March 2018, Bakare announced his plan to form a political movement to champion the restructuring of Nigeria.<\/p>\n
He said the new movement would be christened the New Nigeria Progressive Movement, which he said would \u201cfight to entrench true federalism in the country\u201d.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Senior Pastor of Citadel Global Community Church (CGCG) in Ikeja, Lagos, Pastor Tunde Bakare, has told President Muhammadu Buhari to champion pragmatic restructuring before the 2023 general polls even as…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":86899,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_lmt_disableupdate":"","_lmt_disable":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[17],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-86898","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-exclusive"],"yoast_head":"\n