Visit to Jonathan: Bakare did not say the whole truth
By Otive Igbuzor
Monday, March 14, 2011


•Bakare
Photo: Sun News Publishing
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Dr. Otive Igbuzor, a prominent member of Nigeria’s civil society and the Save Nigeria Group (SNG), writes to counter comments attributed to CPC presidential running mate, Pastor Tunde Bakare, regarding the now controversial visit of the SNG to President Goodluck Jonathan

On 5th March, 2011, Pastor Tunde Bakare, the CPC Vice-Presiden-tial candidate was reported to have said that the Save Nigeria Group (SNG) initially set out to team up with President Goodluck Jonathan for a better Nigeria. He was reported to have said “Three times we went to him to inquire about his plans for Nigeria. He replied that he had none yet.”

Since I read the reports, I have been worried about what partisan politics can do to people. I am worried because I had a lot of respect for Pastor Tunde Bakare and I considered him as my distant Pastor. Although, I do not belong to his church, I normally go to his church to buy his cassettes. I also used to listen to him regularly on Television. I was always impressed with his courage, teaching and passion for transformation of Nigeria.

As a Christian, I am aware that men of God try as much as possible to refrain from telling lies because the Bible is very hard on liars. Proverbs 19: 9 says “a false witness will not go unpunished, and he who breathes out lies will perish.” Rev 21:8 says “but as for the cowardly, the faithless, the detestable, as for murderers, the sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolators, and all liars, their portion will be in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur which is the second death.”

Now back to the SNG and visit to President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan. There is nowhere in the public documents of SNG that it was stated that the purpose was to team up with the PDP government of Goodluck Ebele Jonathan for a better Nigeria. I was therefore shocked when I read the statements credited to Pastor Tunde Bakare.

On the meeting with the President, I was part of one of the delegations. The main issue raised at the meeting with the President who was acting then was the need to be more decisive in the face of the country drifting apart as a result of Umaru Yar’Adua’s absence and how it was being managed. We reminded him that as Acting President, he had all the powers of the Presidency. In his reply, he responded to all the issues that were raised.

In his response, he made a statement that I still remember very vividly that “any person who utilizes more than 40 percent of the powers available to him/her will constitute a problem to himself and a nuisance to society.” He noted that he was aware of his powers but that he was restraining himself because of stability and unity of the country.

After the meeting, we reviewed the visit and we were satisfied and impressed with the response and decided to continue the struggle of the SNG for orderly political succession. The performance of GEJ in office is another issue altogether. I do not want to think that my Pastor Tunde Bakare will tell lies. Perhaps the three meetings he alluded to did not include the one that I was part of. God help Nigeria.


Igbuzor is the Executive Director, African Centre for Leadership, Strategy and Development

Bakare will soon be to buhari what Palin was to Mc Cain!

A pastor of stories!
This is what the poor masses in Nigeria have been facing, and having to hand over 10% of their earnings in robbery worse than any police "roger."
The man's lips are very loose and move only to the tune of his pocket.

I remember arguing here on NL that the mans interest in politics was for unholy reasons. lol

IS THIS HOW PEOPLE CAN BE EASILY DECEIVED? HOW CAN ANYONE COOK UP A STORY WITHOUT A PRESS SOURCE AND YOU GUYS FELL FOR IT? SHAME ON WHO EVER FRAME THOSE LIES AND ALL THOSE WHO COULD NOT VERIFY THE STORY BEFORE MAKING REASONABLE JUDGEMENTS. UNFORTUNATE ADULT! I GUESS THAT IS WHAT YOU GUYS ARE ,

Bintus2much:

IS THIS HOW PEOPLE CAN BE EASILY DECEIVED? HOW CAN ANYONE COOK UP A STORY WITHOUT A PRESS SOURCE AND YOU GUYS FELL FOR IT? SHAME ON WHO EVER FRAME THOSE LIES AND ALL THOSE WHO COULD NOT VERIFY THE STORY BEFORE MAKING REASONABLE JUDGEMENTS. UNFORTUNATE ADULT! I GUESS THAT IS WHAT YOU GUYS ARE ,

Read the story for yourself. Here's the source:
http://www.sunnewsonline.com/webpages/features/freekick/2011/mar/14/freekick-14-03-2011-002.htm

Now, give yourself three serious slaps.

AGAIN I SAY ABSOLUTE NONSENSE. IF HE CLAIMED TO HAVE A HUGE RESPECT FOR TUNDE BAKARE AND WHAT HE HEARD DID NOT MATCH WHAT HAPPENED, IS IT BY PUBLISHING IT ON THE NEWS THE BEST OPTION FOR PEOPLE WHO HAVE THE SAME VISION FOR NIGERIA AND THE SNG TO RESOLVE SUCH DIFFERENCES? THE GUY IN QUESTION IS NOT DIFFERENT FROM GEHAZI IN THE BIBLE. PERHAPS HE IS ANGRY THAT BAKARE DID NOT COLLECT ANY BRIBE FROM JONATHAN. IF YOU READ THE USELESS ARTICLE CAREFULLY YOU WILL DISCOVER HE MADE IT SOUND LIKE IT WAS THE TWO OF THEM THAT WAS WITH JONATHAN. WHY DID HE NOT MENTION OTHER NAMES THAT COULD SERVE AS A WITNESS . IF BAKARE'S STATEMENT COULD MAKE AN HEADLINE ON THE SUN, WHY DIDNT HIS OWN TRASH MAKE ANY HEADLINE?, ABSOLUTE RUBBISH,

@bintus2much

u don't even need the additional link or read between the lines to be convinced cos Bakare has proven to be a confused man both in prophesies (that never come to pass) and in statements.

Bintus2much,
you sound very desparate.
I tot u were looking for a link.

onye_ngbu*:

Bintus2much,
you sound very desparate.
I tot u were looking for a link.

am not desperate. i only wanted to evaluate any truth in the story. Unfortunately there was none. Even reports from the press can be sponsored. so it makes no difference.

Bintus2much:

am not desperate. i only wanted to evaluate any truth in the story. Unfortunately there was none. Even reports from the press can be sponsored. so it makes no difference.

Really? So why typing in capitals like your World is ending? That's desperation to any onlooker.

Utter Desperation

U de vex?:

Really? So why typing in capitals like your World is ending? That's desperation to any onlooker.

desperate about what? that if i write in capitals i will convince more people that the story is false? my keyboard was only in caps. and it makes no difference. You guys just got nothing to say.

keyboard 101

typing in all caps means that you r screaming/shouting and; in your write up, you were screaming in desperation.

assme:

keyboard 101

typing in all caps means that you r screaming/shouting and; in your write up, you were screaming in desperation.

Sun News paper? i m not surprised. Yesterday they had a story that GEJ was leading in the North West
this story sound so silly and has all the characteristics of PDP's mischief.
Of course all GEJ disciples would quickly throw common sense to the gutters and hail such stories as long as it
discredits the BB team.

i thought it was going to a rebuttal to the 50k transport fare

what is this meaningless tosh?

^^^ My brother, I tire oooh. The question we should be asking is how much was Igbuzor paid for the slander campaign?

Is anybody suprised? Iam not, another good man corrupted by PDP! very sad indeed. Any way I know that PDP is very desperate and would stop at nothing to retain power by all means. Another low road for People Destruction Party!

A very dumb story from a pathetic news paper. I was expecting the Igbuzor guy to refute the $50,000 claim. Instead the man simply strayed from the real issues and is seen here extolling GEJ's non-existing virtues. This guy is one of those who give the Igbo stock a very bad name.

9ijaMan:

A very dumb story from a pathetic new paper. I was expecting the Igbuzor guy to refute the $50,000 claim. Instead the may simply strayed from the real issues and is seen here extolling GEJ's non-existing virtues. This guy is one of those who give the Igbo stock a very bad name.

Are you right in your senses?
What has been Igbo got to do with the headline.
You f***king deal with the topic or you back out.

Who reads Sun Newspaper Honestly, Sun It is the most skewed newspaper in the country. During my stay in Nigeria, everyone knew this. Such unprecedented biasness.

9ijaMan:

A very dumb story from a pathetic news paper. I was expecting the Igbuzor guy to refute the $50,000 claim. Instead the may simply strayed from the real issues and is seen here extolling GEJ's non-existing virtues. This guy is one of those who give the Igbo stock a very bad name.

gbammm

jason123:

Who reads Sun Newspaper Honestly, Sun It is the most skewed newspaper in the country. During my stay in Nigeria, everyone knew this. Such unprecedented biasness.

ask them oooooo

the sun newspaper thing is even worse than sahara reporters i tell you

they get ther storys from punch and others then modify it

i remember the champoin newspaper as well by one man(no offence), it was so myopic in its views it almost caused a riot in borno state

the champoin newspaper is died now, it remains the sun newspaper i mean why is it very myopic i ask

This is an example of how well meaning people can in essence ruin their own chances at being taken seriously simply by opening their mouths.


As I recall, SNG was infact trying to make itself politically relevant and part of that was WORKING WITH Government WHICH IT CAMPAIGNED for,as it explained, to get things moving in Nigeria. I happen to have been against the move but I remember SNG PICKED Jonathan's SIDE rather than advocate that the constitution be upheld. So what is the man now yapping about?

henry101:


Are you right in your senses?
What has been Igbo got to do with the headline.
You f***king deal with the topic or you back out.

Ok Sir!