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LequteMan
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Pastor Tunde Bakare of the Latter Rain Assembly in an interview with the Punch said ex-president Olusegun Obasanjo wanted Minister of Finance Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala to be Gen. Muhammadu Buhari's running mate at the 2011 general elections despite the General offering him the position in the first instance.
Prior to being offered the slot, Pastor Bakare said he was the chairperson Arrow Heads, a group of Nigerians containing people like Oby Ezekwesili, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, Donald Duke, Nasir El-Rufai, Nuhu Ribadu, Fola Adeola, Jimi Lawal, Yinka Odumakin, Jimi Agbaje, Wale Osun and a few others who felt they could make a change in their clime.
He said he chose to be the chairman of the group on two conditions: "Number one, that I would not join any political party and number two, I would not seek any elective office so that if there is a dispute, I can effectively resolve it. Those around me know that I have no desire for a political office but those who don’t know me think I am an opportunist."
The clergyman denied that he wasn't in politics, categorizing himself as a "nation builder."
"All I want to see is a nation that works. If you ask me today if I am seeking any elective office, my answer will be no. I was asked to be a running mate to Gen. Muhammadu Buhari, I was not looking forward to it at all. But if I am beckoned upon to do something, I will pray about it and if I see that it does not negate what I stand for and believe in, why not? The truth is that if good people don’t participate in politics, then we will continue to endure the rule of idiots.
He said Gen. Buhari called him on January 15, 2011 saying that he had done his own little prayers and asked him to be his running mate."
" I told him I couldn’t because I lead a group and I had given them my word and that my word is my bond. I also told him that I had no desire for a political office; all I wanted to see was a change and be among those who work behind the scene.
"I took my team and went to the General and asked him why he wanted me to be his running mate. He said three things, “your passion for Nigeria. You have been a Muslim before, you are a Christian now. You have lived in the North, you were born in the South, you understand the geography and I think you can be a positive influence to pull the nation together. Number two, your integrity, number three, supposing I die in office like Yar’Adua, I want someone who would not sell out, who would still continue my vision for this country.”
He said he consulted Pastor Adeboye, his Mother, Senator Bola Ahmed Tinubu and others people but still didn't fill the form, yet.
However, Nassir El-Rufai encouraged him to take the offer, but he declined at the moment, "I told him I needed to clear a particular thing in my heart. Everyone who had been assistant to Gen. Buhari died before him. Tunde Idiagbon is gone, Okadigbo is gone, Ume-Ezeoke is gone, why do I want to go and put my head in a death sentence. I need to know what is responsible for that, so I can’t just jump, I will need to pray through. I told Gen. Buhari the same thing I am saying now."
But before the final submission of names, he said former President Olusegun Obasanjo told El-Rufai that he was ready to support Buhari if he could would drop and replace him with Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala as his running mate.
"El-Rufai ran to me, that this was what Obasanjo said. The three of us were in the same hotel but in different suites. We went straight to Gen. Buhari and I said to him that breakthrough had come. I told him I had not filled the form." He also urged Buhari to take Okonjo-Iweala, giving five reasons why he must take her.
"General Buhari looked at me and said did Obasanjo speak to you and I said no that he spoke to El-Rufai and I believe him. And he asked El-Rufai to repeat everything Obasanjo said to him and he did. He said to El-Rufai that well, you have worked with him and I have worked with him too, he would have something up his sleeves which we don’t know. Buhari turned to me and said, Pastor Bakare, I have waited long enough and today is the last day, if you are not going to fill the form, give it to me, I will look for someone until we can get a person like you. At that point, I became overwhelmed and I signed the form and El-Rufai seconded. That was the process; it was not an overnight thing."
#Buhari #TundeBakare #OkonjoIweala #Obasanjo
Read full interview here
Prior to being offered the slot, Pastor Bakare said he was the chairperson Arrow Heads, a group of Nigerians containing people like Oby Ezekwesili, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, Donald Duke, Nasir El-Rufai, Nuhu Ribadu, Fola Adeola, Jimi Lawal, Yinka Odumakin, Jimi Agbaje, Wale Osun and a few others who felt they could make a change in their clime.
He said he chose to be the chairman of the group on two conditions: "Number one, that I would not join any political party and number two, I would not seek any elective office so that if there is a dispute, I can effectively resolve it. Those around me know that I have no desire for a political office but those who don’t know me think I am an opportunist."
The clergyman denied that he wasn't in politics, categorizing himself as a "nation builder."
"All I want to see is a nation that works. If you ask me today if I am seeking any elective office, my answer will be no. I was asked to be a running mate to Gen. Muhammadu Buhari, I was not looking forward to it at all. But if I am beckoned upon to do something, I will pray about it and if I see that it does not negate what I stand for and believe in, why not? The truth is that if good people don’t participate in politics, then we will continue to endure the rule of idiots.
He said Gen. Buhari called him on January 15, 2011 saying that he had done his own little prayers and asked him to be his running mate."
" I told him I couldn’t because I lead a group and I had given them my word and that my word is my bond. I also told him that I had no desire for a political office; all I wanted to see was a change and be among those who work behind the scene.
"I took my team and went to the General and asked him why he wanted me to be his running mate. He said three things, “your passion for Nigeria. You have been a Muslim before, you are a Christian now. You have lived in the North, you were born in the South, you understand the geography and I think you can be a positive influence to pull the nation together. Number two, your integrity, number three, supposing I die in office like Yar’Adua, I want someone who would not sell out, who would still continue my vision for this country.”
He said he consulted Pastor Adeboye, his Mother, Senator Bola Ahmed Tinubu and others people but still didn't fill the form, yet.
However, Nassir El-Rufai encouraged him to take the offer, but he declined at the moment, "I told him I needed to clear a particular thing in my heart. Everyone who had been assistant to Gen. Buhari died before him. Tunde Idiagbon is gone, Okadigbo is gone, Ume-Ezeoke is gone, why do I want to go and put my head in a death sentence. I need to know what is responsible for that, so I can’t just jump, I will need to pray through. I told Gen. Buhari the same thing I am saying now."
But before the final submission of names, he said former President Olusegun Obasanjo told El-Rufai that he was ready to support Buhari if he could would drop and replace him with Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala as his running mate.
"El-Rufai ran to me, that this was what Obasanjo said. The three of us were in the same hotel but in different suites. We went straight to Gen. Buhari and I said to him that breakthrough had come. I told him I had not filled the form." He also urged Buhari to take Okonjo-Iweala, giving five reasons why he must take her.
"General Buhari looked at me and said did Obasanjo speak to you and I said no that he spoke to El-Rufai and I believe him. And he asked El-Rufai to repeat everything Obasanjo said to him and he did. He said to El-Rufai that well, you have worked with him and I have worked with him too, he would have something up his sleeves which we don’t know. Buhari turned to me and said, Pastor Bakare, I have waited long enough and today is the last day, if you are not going to fill the form, give it to me, I will look for someone until we can get a person like you. At that point, I became overwhelmed and I signed the form and El-Rufai seconded. That was the process; it was not an overnight thing."
#Buhari #TundeBakare #OkonjoIweala #Obasanjo
Read full interview here
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