Pastor Tunde Bakare, former running mate to Muhammadu Buhari in the 2011 presidential election under the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC), has dismissed claims that the late Nigerian leader was a religious fundamentalist.
Pastor Tunde Bakare, former running mate to Muhammadu Buhari in the 2011 presidential election under the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC), has dismissed claims that the late Nigerian leader was a religious fundamentalist. Speaking on Channels TV’s Politics Today, Bakare recounted a personal experience during their campaign in Kaduna. “After the flag off of our campaign in Kaduna, we rode in the same car, we got home to his place and he staggered, the next word he spoke, God is my witness, was ‘Jesus Christ of Nazareth,’” he said. Bakare added, “And I said, ‘General, what is that?’ He said, ‘You do not have the monopoly of Jesus Christ, I’m thanking God.’” He noted Buhari was often surrounded by Christians, including bodyguards and his longtime driver. “His driver of 10 years asked me to pray with him… and he said, ‘I’m a Christian, sir,’” Bakare stated, reinforcing his view of Buhari’s religious openness.