The leader of the Global Community Citadel Church, Pastor Tunde Bakare, has said that Oba Sikiru Adetona, the Awujale of Ijebuland, was instrumental to the All Progressive Congress (APC) merger that brought former President Muhammadu Buhari to power.
Bakare, during a state broadcast, said that the APC would not have been formed without Awujale’s crucial intervention.
Bakare praised President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for the state burial held for former President Muhammadu Buhari and paid tribute to Oba Sikiru Adetona, the Awujale of Ijebuland, who sadly passed away on the same day as Buhari.
Bakare pointed out that the coincidence of their deaths was quite significant.
He remembered how the Awujale, although a traditional leader who didn’t take sides politically, played a key role in bringing together opposition parties, which led to the formation of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and Buhari’s win in the 2015 elections.
Bakare shared his thoughts during a state-of-the-nation address titled “A Major Shift in the National Focus” at the church’s auditorium on Sunday.
He recounted how he had approached the Awujale to speak with Tinubu about leading the merger, and the Awujale agreed. He insisted that if the late monarch, who was 92 when he passed, hadn’t helped with the merger discussions, the APC wouldn’t have been formed.
“Without Awujale’s crucial intervention, the APC wouldn’t have come into being,” he said.
“Kabiyesi held an important meeting at the Oriental Hotel in Victoria Island and helped broker the agreement that led to the APC’s formation.
“Even at that, Kabiyesi was non-partisan, supporting any cause he believed would promote good governance, strengthen national interest, foster peace, and aid in building a united Nigeria.
“He remained, right to the end, an elder statesman, patriot, mentor, loyal friend, and a unique blessing to this nation.”
Bakare emphasised that the merger that created the APC was the first time a handshake had taken place between the progressive North and the progressive South.
He suggested that the passing of these two great men signified a shift that only a few could truly understand.
Bakare, who served as Buhari’s running mate in the 2011 election under the now-defunct Congress for Progressive Change (CPC), described Buhari as one of the most tolerant and fair-minded people he had ever known. He noted that Buhari opened doors for many Nigerians, especially clergymen like himself, to engage in the political process.
He recalled how Buhari insisted on having him as his running mate.
He stated, “We must pay attention to the signs of the times. President Muhammadu Buhari and Oba Sikiru Adetona have left a legacy that speaks volumes—the giant of Africa cannot stand on one leg.
“We cannot build Nigeria as a one-party state. The collaboration of these two men was vital in creating a lively political landscape, with a strong enough opposition to challenge the then-ruling party.
“We can only honour their legacy by ensuring that both the ruling party and the opposition are strong enough to guarantee good governance for the average Nigerian.
“Their legacy also reminds us that we cannot stabilise our beloved nation on the basis of division. We cannot build a truly vibrant nation unless we create an inclusive one. Where we have been divided, let’s remember the religious tolerance of a man who, for years, was unfairly labelled a religious fundamentalist when, in fact, he was one of the most tolerant and fair-minded Muslims to walk this earth, who opened the doors for Christian leaders – specifically Pastors – in politics and governance.”
He also mentioned that the late President Buhari “left a legacy of an Electoral Act that opened up opportunities for Nigerian youth and those with disabilities, positioning them to break through barriers via the Not Too Young To Run Act and the Disability Act.”
“Where we have previously divided the political landscape and undermined our opponents, let us remember the virtues of a man who preferred to present his case to the electorate rather than engage in the politics of mudslinging.”
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