2023: Why I scored zero votes at APC presidential primaries – Tunde Bakare narrates

The senior pastor told his congregation why he lost and predicted again that he would be the country's next president. A former All Progressives Congress presidential aspirant, Tunde Bakare, has said he lost the party’s ticket at the primaries because he refused to compromise his values.

Mr Bakare spoke during Sunday’s service at the Citadel Global Community, the Ikeja, Lagos-based church that he founded. He got zero votes at the party’s presidential primaries, which were held June 6 – 8th, at Eagle’s Square, Abuja. A former governor of Lagos and national leader of the party, Bola Tinubu, beat all the other aspirants to the ticket, polling 1,217 delegate votes. Former transport minister, Rotimi Amaechi, and Vice President Yemi Osinbajo polled 316 votes and 235 votes to finish second and third respectively. Mr Bakare; former Imo governor, Rochas Okorocha; former information minister, Ikeobasi Mokelu; and the industrialist, Tein Jack-Rich, all got zero votes. The aspirants paid N100 million each for the presidential ticket. Standing before his congregation on Sunday, Mr Bakare received a deafening ovation. “Our heads remain unbowed because we did not compromise on the values that are integral to building a New Nigeria. For us, the means has always been as important as the end,” he said. “This is why we confidently wear our ‘zero votes’ as a badge of zero tolerance for a certain kind of politics.” Mr Bakare insisted, before the joyous congregation, that he would become the president on May 29, 2023. His words attracted another round of applause from the congregation. “Our confidence is rooted in Daniel 4:17 (The angels announce this decree, the holy watchmen bring this sentence so that everyone living will know that the High God rules human kingdoms. He arranges kingdom affairs however he wishes and makes leaders out of losers. It is to Almighty God I will ultimately).” The clergyman also congratulated Mr Tinubu on his victory at the primaries but added: “I’m the next president come May 29, 2023.”