President's Right Hand Man: Meet The Man After Buhari's Heart (Photo)

Former vice-presidential candidate to President Muhammadu Buhari during the 2011 presidential election, Pastor Tunde Bakare, is still one of the president’s most admired allies, writes Shola Oyeyipo.

In today’s Nigeria, hardly has there been a preacher that has shown greater commitment to the revival of Nigeria than Pastor Tunde Bakare of the Latter Rain Assembly, Lagos. Also, as the convener, Save Nigeria Group (SNG), he has intervened in times of national crisis to the awe of even his critics.

From background check, he’s a polite and no nonsense man of God, his outstanding character shown during his 60th birthday celebration were he rejected a Rolls Royce given to him as a gift on the grounds that there are lots of Nigerians out there suffering.

“I am not in need of a 2015 model of Rolls Royce, which was presented to me as a gift. I was sitting at home one day and they brought in a brand new 2015 Rolls Royce into my house. My 60th birthday was coming. I looked at it, kai! This is awkward. When you open your car, your door goes this; its own door goes that way. It clears the way so that there is nothing blocking your way.

“Then I said: Oya, leave this place. Where is the road that I will ride it upon? My heart is not in things like this. I asked my son to take a photograph of the brand new car as a proof. I want to see good governance. I want to see discipline. I want to see equitable distribution of resources. I want to see the poor being educated; I want to see a nation that works,” Bakare explained why he rejected the expensive gift.

Not necessarily a leftist, Bakare–a former student union leader, lawyer, social crusader-turned politician and his church have been some of the most passionate prayer warriors for the total emancipation of Nigeria from pervasive mis-governance and leading lights in the quest for focused leadership because he considers Nigeria too blessed to be named amongst the poor nations of the world.

The Man of God recently registered fresh concern about the intentions of some of those around the president when he prayed that they are not among those the president will elect to work with him in his quest to transform Nigeria.

“May the good Lord surround the President-elect with men and women of goodwill, great intellectual capacity, competence and character to help restore our wasted years. I pray sincerely that not all those who facilitated his winning the election will be among those who run the government.

“I did say before the election that I trust the person of General Buhari but not all those around him,” Bakare reiterated, adding: “I mean every word of it because many of them are nothing but Ali Baba and 40 thieves. And if these are the same who would go into government, you can’t fight evil with evil. You can as well kiss the anti-corruption stance of Mr. President-elect goodbye.”

There is no doubting that President Buhari trusts and loves him. In what is clearly sheer happenstance, Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo and Pastor Bakare have many things in common–pastor, lawyer, of Ogun State origin and are both of good reputation and self-discipline.

To underscore the fact that he is still very relevant in the mind of the president, his name has continually resonated in issues pertaining to selection of credible people to represent the new government. Once, it was reported that he was to head of the screening of members of the Transition Committee.