Pastor Tunde Bakare, the Serving Overseer of the Citadel Global Community Church, has highlighted during a recent State of the Nation Broadcast that the results of the 2023 elections reflect a weariness among Nigerians towards the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
Bakare, who participated in the 2022 presidential primary of the APC, expressed his thoughts at the church in Ikeja, Lagos, emphasizing that the APC has veered away from its original founding principles.
In his address, titled ‘Vice, Virtue & Time: Three Things That Never Stand Still,’ Bakare cautioned the APC, underscoring his deep involvement in its formation.
As a stakeholder and nation builder, he asserted unequivocally that the current state of the APC does not align with the vision they had initially envisioned.
He pointed to the results of the recent elections as clear evidence that Nigerians are disillusioned with the transformed state of the APC.
Bakare went on to analyze the decline in votes garnered by the APC during the 2023 presidential election compared to previous years, interpreting it as an indication of diminishing support for the party.
He acknowledged that external factors like divisions within the Peoples Democratic Party and the emergence of the Obidient movement of the Labour Party impacted the election outcome, preventing a more decisive loss for the APC.
Even so, Bakare noted that the APC’s victory, as declared by the Independent National Electoral Commission, is currently under dispute in court.
During the February 2023 presidential election, President Bola Tinubu emerged victorious with 8,794,726 votes, followed by Atiku Abubakar of the PDP with 6,984,520 votes, and Obi from the Labour Party securing third place with 6,101,533 votes.
The election results continue to be contested by the PDP and the LP through the Presidential Election Petitions Tribunal.
Bakare lamented the transformation of the APC into a platform devoid of ideological principles, where politicians without a steadfast commitment to a cause move opportunistically between parties to attain power.
He reminisced about the original spirit of the APC, which championed progressivism characterized by substantial investments in education and healthcare, along with fostering inclusivity and social advancement.
He attributed the current economic hardships faced by many Nigerians to what he termed “anti-people policies” implemented by the government.
