Pastor Tunde Bakare, the Serving Overseer of the Citadel Global Community Church, paid a visit to President Bola Tinubu in Lagos on Wednesday, June 4, his first public meeting with the president since criticising the National Assembly in April.
The meeting, held behind closed doors, was revealed by presidential aide Bayo Onanuga, who shared a photo of Tinubu and Bakare on his X handle.
Speaking with journalists after the meeting, Bakare said his visit was centred on national development and the direction of the country. He described the discussion as private but rooted in hope for a better Nigeria.
“It’s not about just reservations. It’s about how the country will go well,” Bakare said. “My personal vision is to see a nation that works in my lifetime, and those things I’ve discussed with Mr President, they’re not hidden things, but I’ve learned that when you discuss with the person in charge, you leave it with him to do whatsoever he wills with what you have suggested.”
He added, “So I’ve had a private conversation with Mr President and I’m glad that he received me well and I trust that God will help our nation.”
The cleric also shared his aspirations for a more peaceful and united Nigeria, urging greater cooperation across regional lines to build a stronger country.
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“I’d like to see Nigerians being their brother’s keeper,” he said. “I like to see good collaboration between the best of the north and the best of the south to steer Nigeria in the right direction. I’d like to see predictable progress in our nation.
“We have danced around some subjects for too long a time; it’s time to take concrete action to ensure that the mercies of our country do not live in abject poverty, that’s all.”
Bakare’s visit comes just weeks after he drew criticism from the Senate for comments made during his Easter State-of-the-Nation broadcast.
In the address, he accused President Tinubu of turning the 10th National Assembly into “a haven for legislative rascality” and described the legislature as the “48th member” of the president’s cabinet.
The Senate, through its spokesperson Senator Yemi Adaramodu, fired back, saying the pastor had “crossed the line.”
Bakare, who ran against Tinubu for the All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential ticket in 2022, has remained a vocal figure in national discourse. His visit appears to signal a shift toward dialogue, even as debates around governance and institutional independence continue.