Tunde Bakare speaks on agreement with Buhari to hand over to him as president

• Speaking on Buhari’s civilian administration, Bakare hinted that Buhari would have preferred him as his successor

The General Overseer of the Citadel Global Community Church, CGCC, Pastor Tunde Bakare has cleared the air on having an agreement with ex president, Muhammadu Buhari, to succeed him.

Buhari died on Sunday in United Kingdom hospital after a brief sickness.

Buhari led Nigeria on two occasions. He first ruled the country as military head of state from 1983 to 1985. He was in office from 2015 to 2023 as a democratically elected president.

Speaking on Buhari’s civilian administration, Bakare hinted that Buhari would have preferred him as his successor.

He, however, said there was no written agreement with the ex-President to hand over power to him.

“There was no written pact between us. He’s late, I will never say anything unfair about him. But there was a kind of look — ’you’re one of those I would love to succeed me’ — and he did his best,” he said when he appeared on Channels Television’s Politics Today on Monday.

Bakare also revealed that Buhari met with all presidential aspirants ahead of the All Progressives Congress, APC, primaries, where he urged them to freely choose who they wanted to succeed him.

According to Bakare, Buhari said: “I have allowed governors to choose those who will succeed them or go for a second term.

“I’m asking you today to freely choose the person I desire to succeed me.”

He also said the former Nigerian leader was not religious fundamentalist, contrary to accusations.

Bakare said that most of Buhari’s domestic staff were Christians and that the former head of state never kept away from praying in the name of Jesus, as Christians do.