By Annette Ikponmwonba | November 9th, 2026
Key Points
· Pastor Tunde Bakare, General Overseer of Citadel Global Community Church, has revealed details of his conversation with President Tinubu about a cabinet ministerial offer
· He spoke at Envoy Nation in Leicester on Sunday
· Bakare said he turned down the offer because he was too old to be a minister
· He said he promised to support the government privately and to suggest solutions when he sees something wrong
· He said he remains a full member of the APC and will vote when the time comes
· Separately, PDP chieftain Adetokunbo Pearse disputed claims that Tinubu studied at Chicago State University
Main Story
The General Overseer of Citadel Global Community Church, Pastor Tunde Bakare, has revealed details of his conversation with President Bola Tinubu about an offer to become a cabinet minister. Speaking at Envoy Nation in Leicester on Sunday, he said he turned down the offer because he was too old.
Bakare said he told the President he would support the government privately and would always suggest a solution whenever he sees something wrong. He also said he remains a member of the All Progressives Congress and will vote for the party in the forthcoming election.
“I told Tinubu I’m too old to be a minister, but I will help in the background in any way I think will help my country. I have never been part of the opposition. I am a propositional platform, if I see something wrong, I will suggest a solution. I can’t change sides quickly by joining one party today and another tomorrow. I am a full member of APC, and I will vote when the time comes,” he said.
The Issues
Bakare’s remarks clarify his political position at a time when his stance toward the administration has drawn attention. By saying he has never been part of the opposition and remains an APC member, he is distancing himself from any suggestion that he has switched sides, while keeping room to critique government where he sees fit.
His explanation for declining the offer, age, is a personal one, and he did not mention any policy disagreement. How much weight to give that reason is left to readers, since only his own account of the conversation is available and the Presidency has not commented.
The report also carried a separate controversy over the President’s academic records. PDP chieftain Adetokunbo Pearse argued that the documents Tinubu submitted to INEC listed schools he never attended. He said he worked at Chicago State University between 1985 and 1990, directed the programme Tinubu allegedly attended and has personal knowledge of the records. These are Pearse’s claims, made in an interview, and the report does not include independent verification or a response from the Presidency.
What’s Being Said
Bakare described himself as a “propositional platform” rather than an opposition voice, and stressed loyalty to his party. He said he cannot change sides quickly by joining one party today and another tomorrow, Pearse, speaking on News Central TV, also accused Education Minister Dr Tunji Alausa of misleading the public by defending claims that Tinubu studied at Chicago State University, No response from the Presidency to either Bakare’s account or Pearse’s allegations was included in the report.
What’s Next
Attention will turn to whether the Presidency comments on Bakare’s account of the ministerial offer, and how he engages with the APC as the 2027 campaign builds, On the academic records dispute, observers will watch for a response from Minister Alausa, the Presidency or INEC to Pearse’s claims.
Bottom Line
Bakare says he declined a ministerial post on grounds of age but remains an APC member who will vote for the party, while a separate claim by a PDP chieftain over Tinubu’s schooling adds to the political noise, though it remains unverified.
