The Global Community Citadel Church’s Senior Pastor and Serving Overseer, Pastor Tunde Bakare, was chastised by the Senate on Tuesday for his recent harsh comments on the 10th National Assembly, claiming the cleric had “crossed the line.”
Senator Yemi Adaramodu, the chairman of the Senate Committee on Media and Public Affairs, released a statement in Abuja that included the Senate’s response.
During his Easter State-of-the-Nation broadcast in Lagos, Bakare, who ran against President Bola Tinubu in 2022 on the All Progressives Congress presidential ticket, accused the President of turning the 10th Assembly into “a haven for legislative rascality” and compared it to the 48th member of his cabinet.
Additionally, he denounced Rivers State’s declaration of emergency and chastised the National Assembly for supporting it.
Citing a recent spate of murders in the states of Plateau, Benue, and Enugu, the cleric further bemoaned the deteriorating insecurity.
Adaramodu, however, characterized Bakare’s remarks as general, derogatory, and politically driven.
The statement said, “We consider his scathing criticisms of the National Assembly to be a political and biased ecumenical homily.”
To uphold the rule of law and the judiciary’s independence, the National Assembly cannot and will not be called upon to address matters that are already before a court with the necessary authority.
He maintained that although some people view conflict between the legislative and executive branches as a beneficial aspect of checks and balances, this conflict does not always result in efficient monitoring.
To cast aspersions on the entire institution based on personal frustrations, ideological differences, or as positioning ahead of possible future political alignments is not only unfair but also counterproductive to our collective democratic journey,” Adaramodu added.
While acknowledging Bakare’s constitutional right to voice opinions on national issues, the Senate spokesman maintained that the cleric had overstepped his bounds with “aspersions and unsubstantiated claims.”
He said the legislative arm felt compelled to respond in order to prevent the public from being misled.
“Indeed, there are well-documented instances where the National Assembly has constructively disagreed with the executive—including on specific provisions of the presidential declaration on the Rivers State state of emergency, which Pastor Bakare referenced,” he noted.
Adaramodu also took a swipe at the pastor’s comparison of the current Assembly with the rejection of the infamous Third Term agenda during the Olusegun Obasanjo administration.
“It’s noteworthy that the executive has never brought any unconstitutional agenda before the 10th National Assembly—like the unspeakable but infamous Third Term bid, which Pastor Bakare used as a benchmark for legislative performance.”
He concluded by emphasising the need for national dialogue rooted in truth and mutual respect.
“The challenges facing our country require dialogue anchored on truth, mutual respect, and a commitment to nation-building—not polarising rhetoric that undermines confidence in our democratic institutions. The Senate remains open to engaging with all Nigerians, including Pastor Bakare, in the spirit of constructive engagement,” he stated.
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