Bakare Dares Buhari To Arrest Him, To Lead Mass Protest

By James Orji

Radical cleric and Serving Overseer, Citadel Global Community Church, Lagos has finally parted ways with President Muhammadu Buhari.

Bakare has been one of the biggest critics of the administration in the last few years.

In his latest outbursts against the president, the man of God who ran a joint ticket with Buhari in the 2011 presidential election dared the president to arrest him.

Pastor Bakare, during a sermon in his church on Sunday, said Buhari has failed, even though he did not mention the president’s name.

After several consultations with Buhari in Aso Rick, Presidential Villa, on the state of the nation without any meaningful change, Bakare said, he’s prepared to lead a mass protest against the government.

The cleric who said he’s one of those that made Buhari president, particularly criticized  the administration’s clampdown on Yoruba Nation and IPOB secessionist agitators, Sunday Igboho and Nnamdi Kanu and their supporters.

The IPOB leader was arraigned in absentia in court, on Monday in Abuja following his arrest by Interpol alongside Nigeria’s security forces in Kenya last month.

Igboho is currently detained in Benin Republic, following his arrest few weeks ago, amidst frantic efforts by the federal government to repatriate him to face trials on charges bordering on treason and gun running amongst others.

Bakare said Buhari has become an autocratic leader who does not listen to anybody, adding that the president is running an oppressive government.

Bakare stated, “I dare you to come after me since that is the usual style now. You might have done it to others; you are about to learn a lesson if you touch me,” said the cleric, who did not name the government official.

“If you know what I have done in secret, bring it to the open. I dare you to come after me if you can. I worked with you; I worked for you; I supported you to get there (where you are). When I talk now, I now have a smelly mouth.

“I’m not interested in meeting you any longer; no more visits. Now, it is war, because Nigeria must be set free.”

He said Buhari had given up his presidency ambition, that if not for him he would never have achieved him aim of becoming president. The cleric dared Buhari to arrest him if he’s bittered about his criticism of his government.

“Have you forgotten that you vowed never to contest again,” Bakare said adding that. “I said ‘not so’. I showed you how you can win the next election and you agreed to run and you won. I was not considering myself but concerned about how Nigeria can become great.

“Winning an election is a different thing; doing the right thing is another. No one must behave as if Nigeria is a personal property. Nigeria must be set free and any obstruction along the way must be removed; it must get out of the way,” Bakare said.

He said he’s ready to lead a protest against the government.

According to him “I declare to you ‘Nigeria-for-Nigeria Movement’. I’m prepared to lead this movement. Nigeria is not a one man property. This movement will liberate Nigeria.”

He criticized the clampdown on secessionist elements in the country, noting however, that he’s not in support of violence agitation that leads to loss of human lives. He said the lack of social justice is responsible for agitations in the country.

“I don’t support any act of violence, taking up arms against the country and killing people. Those are in the realm of criminality and anybody doing that must be brought to book,” Bakare said amid prayers and declarations.

“However, we must realise that what has given rise to the agitation is lack of justice and equity. When there is justice, when there is equity, agitation will die down.

“How can you be expending so much energy on Igboho and Kanu? Igboho and Kanu are not Nigeria’s problems.”