Pastor Tunde Bakare, the Serving Overseer of the Citadel Global Community Church, has addressed the widespread public speculation regarding his recent visit to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, firmly denying that the meeting was driven by personal gain or political aspirations.
The cleric’s statement comes in response to online debates and assumptions following his closed-door meeting with President Tinubu on Wednesday, June 4, in Lagos.
The meeting came to public attention after presidential aide Bayo Onanuga posted a photograph of the two men together on his official X (formerly Twitter) account.
The development sparked widespread reactions, especially in light of Bakare’s known criticisms of successive Nigerian governments, including the current administration.
During a sermon delivered to his congregation, Pastor Bakare openly addressed the speculations, asserting that his visit to the president was purely a courtesy call and not a political maneuver.
He strongly rejected any insinuations that he was lobbying for a government position or seeking any form of personal benefit from the Tinubu-led administration.
“Some people still think he has gone there to settle himself,” Bakare said during the sermon. “In what way have I ever settled myself before? What they gave me, I returned. What am I looking for?”
Pastor Bakare, who has in the past been a vocal political commentator and even ran for president himself, emphasized that integrity remains a central pillar of his public and private life. He reiterated his commitment to truth and service without compromise, stating that he had nothing to gain materially or politically from the meeting.
His remarks appear to be aimed at quelling suspicions among critics and observers who viewed the encounter as a possible softening of his previous stance against the government or an attempt to align himself with the powers that be.
While the exact content of the discussions between the two men remains undisclosed, Bakare’s clarification appears intended to reinforce public confidence in his longstanding principles and his reputation for speaking truth to power, regardless of the political climate.
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