Pastor Bakare Blasts National Assembly for 'Politicking' Amidst Security Crisis

A prominent Nigerian religious leader, Pastor Tunde Bakare, delivered a scathing critique of the country’s National Assembly on Sunday, accusing senators and representatives of prioritising political manoeuvring over the escalating national security crisis.

Speaking in Lagos during a State of the Nation address, Bakare expressed "shame" that the U.S. Congress has reportedly held discussions on the insecurity and violence facing Nigerian citizens, while the domestic legislature remains allegedly distracted by partisan interests.

Pastor Bakare, the Lead Pastor of the Citadel Global Community Church and a former presidential aspirant, asserted that Nigerian lawmakers are preoccupied with "posturing for political relevance, defecting from one political party to another, in their desperate manoeuvres to secure their seats ahead of the 2027 elections."

He directly challenged the commitment of the legislature to its constituents. "It is shameful that while the United States Congress is holding hearings on the insecurity and lived experiences of Nigerian citizens, our own National Assembly is busy with politicking," Bakare stated.