The General Overseer of The Citadel Global Community Church, formerly Latter Rain Assembly, Pastor Tunde Bakare, has in a state of the nation address on Easter Sunday, said that “Nigeria is in a state of emergency” under President Muhammadu Buhari.
He listed many challenges confronting the nation and threatening its existence and concluded that this was not the Nigeria President Buhari and himself wanted to create when they ran on a joint Presidential ticket in 2011. He also called for urgent restructuring of Nigeria, stressing that those opposed to restructuring are enemies of the nation.
He claimed he was instrumental to Buhari changing his mind never to run for Presidency again after he failed for the third time in 2011. Bakare narrated how he convened meeting in London to talk Buhari out of retirement and how the fostered a merger of three major political parties – CPC, ACN, and ANPP to for the mega All Progressives Congress, APC, that gave Buhari victory in 2015.
He commended President Olusegun Obasanjo for assembling the best team of technocrats to serve under his administration and for initiating grand reforms in telecoms, anti-corruption fight among others.
The state of the nation broadcast was entitled: ‘The conspicuous handwriting on the wall’.
He said among other things: “I am compelled to speak out because this is not the Nigeria General Muhammadu Buhari (rtd) and I had dreams to create when he invited me to be his running mate in 2011.
“I am compelled to speak out because the state of the nation does not represent the Buhari I knew when we took that solemn journey towards rebuilding Nigeria.
“I am compelled to speak out at this point because, given the state of the nation, the legacy of President Muhammadu Buhari is in grave danger of being confined to an unsavoury side of history. I am indeed compelled to speak out because Nigeria is in a state of emergency.
“For many years, Nigeria was in the intensive care unit of the universe. However, six years ago, against timely warnings not to overlook fundamental and underlying conditions as the country prepared for the 2015 elections, her caregivers certified her fit and discharged her.
“Those underlying conditions have resurfaced and our nation is now in a critical state. Her survival is hanging in the balance and she has been rushed to the emergency room.
“The diagnosis indicates that a surgical procedure is unavoidable; the longer it is postponed, the more she stands to lose and the longer it will take for her to recover.
“Fellow Nigerians, you may recall that as President Muhammadu Buhari took the oath of office during his first term in office, he summed up his election campaign promises in three pivotal agendas, namely: security, anti-corruption and economic diversification with a focus on job creation.
“The major limitation of the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari has been the failure to appreciate the fact that the problems of Nigeria are more deeply rooted than these honest efforts can reach, and that what is required is a holistic and systematic approach to governance.
“Unfortunately, after winning re-election in 2019, rather than do a deep dive to address the fundamental causes of our national malady by dealing with the root causes of insecurity, corruption and joblessness, the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari decided to treat more symptoms by broadening its agenda.
“The president’s Next Level Agenda widened the focus from a three-point to a nine-point agenda. “The re-elected president overestimates his mandate. He ignores opposition and pursues goals that prove to be beyond reach.
“Hear me clearly: I am not saying that the thematic areas of the government’s Next Level Agenda are not important.
“The state of the nation has spurred outcries from stakeholders across the country. From one declaration to another, and from one resolution to another, the consensus amongst these stakeholders is that Nigeria is in a state of emergency.
“Consequently, if urgent, decisive action is not taken, insecurity may be the second-term curse of the current administration. This is the conspicuous handwriting on the wall.”
