Pastor Tunde Bakare has said the late former President Muhammadu Buhari was not a religious bigot as some Nigerians believed.
Bakare, who was Buhari’s running mate in the 2011 presidential election, revealed that the former leader often prayed in Jesus’ name and had many Christians as close staff.
Speaking in an interview with Channels Television, the Serving Overseer of the Citadel Global Community Church said, “I thought he was a religious fundamentalist until I came close.”
Bakare recalled an incident during their 2011 campaign. He said, “After the flag-off of our campaign in Kaduna, we rode in the same car, we got home to his place and he staggered, the next word he spoke, God is my witness, was ‘Jesus Christ of Nazareth’.”
According to Bakare, when he asked Buhari why he said that, the former president replied, “You do not have the monopoly of Jesus Christ, I’m thanking God.”
Bakare also mentioned that Buhari’s bodyguards were Christians. He said, “Not only that, his driver of 10 years asked me to pray with him and I said, ‘I don’t pray Islamic prayers,’ and he said, ‘I’m a Christian, sir.’”
Buhari died on Sunday while receiving treatment for an undisclosed illness at a private clinic in London.
His burial is scheduled for Tuesday in Daura, his hometown in Katsina State.
A government delegation is in London to bring back his remains.
