President Muhammadu Buhari’s running mate in the 2011 presidential election, Pastor Tunde Bakare, has insisted that corrupt leaders are responsible for the problems facing the country.
In an interview with BBC Yoruba, Bakare said Nigerians voted for Buhari because they thought he would understand Nigeria’s complexities and lead it on the right path.
He stated: “They brought us here before they grew old in the job and refused to leave. Nigeria will continue to deteriorate unless we turn around and make amends and ask those stronger than us to help us.”
According to him, he ventured into politics to help the country, adding that God showed him a vision.
The cleric explained: “I was in my house when I started the Save Nigeria Group. It was to help the country. I never knew Jonathan or Yar’Adua. God only showed me a vision and I started moving around, saying ‘do not let Nigeria go bad’. Professor Wole Soyinka, Akinrinade, renowned people of Yoruba extraction joined us.
“That was where Buhari first saw me and decided he could bring me close. We too, we wanted to know his intentions for Nigeria. That was how we met in Kaduna. I had in mind to help Nigeria but when Awolowo could not become the president, as a good person, I washed my hands off.”
He blamed the growing agitations for secession on the state of affairs in the country.
Bakare said: “We should find a way of making Nigeria progress. We can’t leave our country for another. We have to take a stand and make Nigeria work. When separatist groups see that things are getting better in the nation, they will drop their grievances.”