A Nigerian pastor and founder of the Citadel Global Community Church Lagos, Tunde Bakare, is fuming over the refusal of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) to endorse the presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) for 2023 elections, Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
At the same time, Bakare denied that he endorsed Tinubu’s 2023 presidential ambition after the former Lagos State governor opted for a Muslim-Muslim ticket, despite protests from the Christian community in Nigeria.
Bakare had earlier said that CAN was wrong in condemning Tinubu’s ticket on grounds of religion, saying nothing was wrong with that.
However, faced with criticisms for his stand, Bakare on Friday denied endorsing the APC presidential candidate.
He made the rebuttal in a statement which also attempted to debunk insinuations that he was working against the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) on the Muslim-Muslim ticket.
He said- “My attention has been drawn to the viral but concocted and ridiculous statements credited to me, by some unscrupulous writers and bloggers. Amongst other things, I was quoted to have said that the agitations by the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), were ploys by the opposition party, the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), to force a weak candidate on APC.
“In addition to this, I was alleged to have said that CAN wanted to lure APC into presenting a weak candidate. The spurious writers also alleged that I stressed that Christians are righteous people who behave like Christ, and that CAN are politicians who behave like PDP.
“As if the poorly strewn lies were not enough, I was quoted as saying that Tinubu is my candidate. Isn’t this the same Tinubu that I announced to all and sundry at the APC Presidential Convention that I was not stepping down for? He has suddenly become my candidate!
“I wish to state unequivocally that the statements are absolute lies. There was nowhere I granted anyone any interview, or preached on any platform, where I said the ludicrous statements. I challenge anyone who is in possession of the video or audio file of the statements to please put it in the public space.
“For the avoidance of doubt, I am a nation builder who will not in any way create real or imaginary division among the people of our great country, through the medium of political parties or religion.
“I therefore use this medium to ask everyone to disregard the alleged statements. The statements are not mine, and do not in any way represent my position. This is part of the lying propaganda of the mischievous ones seeking approval by deceit and at all costs. If the peddlers of this deliberate falsehood don’t desist from their highly condemnable acts, they will definitely have their day in court. Enough is enough“.