Regardless of his unscrupulous ways, Tinubu should prioritise anti-graft war – Tunde Bakare

• Bakare said Tinubu still wielded enormous power as the president to launch frontal attacks against corruption and malfeasance in government, especially as it regards fuel subsidy
• He charged Tinubu to go after those hiding behind dubious fuel subsidy scheme to pillage and plunder the country’s resources and wealth

Senior Pastor of the Citadel Global Community Church, formerly known as the Latter Rain Church, Pastor Tunde Bakare, says president Bola Tinubu personality and antecedent are not enviable and satisfying.

Bakare said, though Tinubu’s unscrupulous character and questionable past are not befitting of someone that occupies Nigeria’s highest political office, there was still so much he could do to steady the ship that was Nigeria and save it from sinking into the ocean of corruption.

The cleric said this while speaking on State of the Nation broadcast, theme ‘’Vice, virtue and time: The three things that shall never stand still’’, held at the church auditorium, located on Kudirat Abiola way, Ikeja in Lagos.

Bakare, whose statement was spurred by the removal of fuel subsidy which has plunged the citizens into unprecedented hardship, said Tinubu may not have come to power swimming in the pool of vaunted integrity and resentment for corruption like his predecessor, he still wielded enormous power as the president to launch frontal attacks against corruption and malfeasance, especially as it regards fuel subsidy.

He charged Tinubu to go after those hiding behind dubious fuel subsidy scheme to pillage and plunder the country’s resources and wealth.

He said “The president furtherstated that the subsidy removal policy was to stop the squandering of monies on smugglers and fraudsters.

“Mr President, while we admit that, as of today, our nation has transitioned from an administration that came to power on the supposed wings of integrity and anti-corruption to one that cannot be described as such, the fact remains that you are today the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria with enormous powers to fight against corruption in its hydra-headed forms.

“Even if the allegations against you are valid, you can still have a road to Damascus experience and decide today to stand on the side of probity and bring to book the vested interests that have built their wealth on the ruins of our nation.

‘’You can decide today to take the burden of reforms off the Nigerian people and go after the corporations and individuals who have plundered our nation. You can decide today to stand with the poor and take the fight to the plunderers.
‘’Mr President, even though you have announced some palliatives, let me remind you that palliatives cannot address the root cause of the problem.

“Therefore, we demand that you address the root cause of the problem. Take the yoke off the neck of the poor, go after the looters, recover the loot, and retool it to the benefit of Nigerians. In simple terms, Mr President, kill corruption, not Nigerians.

“Some may ask at this juncture: Who exactly are these plunderers that have been enabled over the years to launder our collective patrimony through a dubious subsidy regime? How much can we recover from them?

‘’My fellow citizens, tighten your seat belts as I take you back to certain alarming events that occurred in our nation’s recent history; events that have elicited lingering questions.”