Pastor Tunde Bakare, founder of Citadel Global Community Church, has disclosed that he is facing considerable pressure from political stakeholders urging him to join the African Democratic Congress (ADC).
• The pressure is reportedly coming from “who is who” — people from different levels of politics, including a former governor and a minister from the South-West. They have visited his home; they’ve called him even while he was abroad, saying they need his voice.
• Also mentioned is a younger political associate (someone who has held significant offices under the APC) urging him to align with ADC.
What He Has Not Agreed To Do (His Response)
• Bakare has ruled out joining the ADC.
• His loyalty remains with the All Progressives Congress (APC). He described APC as his “child” — suggesting he played a role in its founding or growth, and feels a sense of ownership and responsibility toward it. He said, “you don’t birth a child called APC and then try to kill it yourself.”
• He also invoked historical/political tensions: referencing that the South-West should avoid another Awolowo–Akintola type crisis. This is a reminder of past intra-party strife, and suggests he is aware of the risks of party switching or fragmenting political alignments in that region.
• The pressure seems to be happening ahead of the 2027 elections, which likely means political actors are trying to build coalitions, gather influential figures, or strengthen opposition. Bakare is seen as someone whose voice, reputation, or support could tip the scales in certain voter demographics.
• Bakare’s refusal signals that political loyalty, principle, and identity play a strong role in his decision-making. He doesn’t appear to be someone who is easily swayed by offers or pressure, especially when they conflict with his long-standing political commitments.
• His referencing of “you don’t birth a child called APC and then try to kill it yourself” implies that for him, leaving or weakening APC for ADC would be inconsistent with the work he’s put in toward APC’s existence and goals.
What This Tells Us About Nigerian Politics
• Political pressure for realignments is common in Nigerian politics, especially as parties and opposition coalitions prepare for major elections. Influential public figures, clerics, traditional leaders, etc., are often courted.
• Loyalty to a party isn’t always about benefits or office; it can be about legacy, identity, history, principle. For someone like Bakare who has had a long career in politics, abandoning a party can carry both political and moral weight.
• Also the reference to past crises (Awolowo–Akintola) shows that regional political history is still very much alive in how people perceive party moves — fears of betrayal, splits, or weakening of political power in the South-West haunt these strategies.