Pastor Tunde Bakare, the general overseer of Citadel Global Community Church, previously Latter Rain Assembly, in Lagos, has refuted rumors of him supporting the All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential candidate, Bola Ahmed Tinubu ahead of the 2023 general election.
In a statement, Bakare, who was also a contender for the APC presidency ticket, refuted claims that he was opposing the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) while campaigning for office on the Muslim-Muslim ticket with Bola Tinubu and Kashim Shettima.
In a message posted on his Facebook page, the Cleric called the accusations outright falsehoods.
“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 Peoples 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.
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“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.”
He stated that he is a nation builder and would not in any manner use political parties or religion to divide Nigerians, whether such divisions are genuine or imagined.
Bakare pleaded with Nigerians to ignore the remarks, stating they in no way reflect his viewpoint.
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