The Senate on Tuesday fired back at Pastor Tunde Bakare following his criticism of the 10th National Assembly during his Easter State-of-the-Nation broadcast. The statement came just days after the pastor’s remarks sparked public debate and reactions across the political space.
Pastor Bakare, a former presidential aspirant under the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Senior Pastor of the Global Community Citadel Church, had accused President Bola Tinubu of turning the legislature into what he called “a haven for legislative rascality.”
He also referred to the Assembly as the “48th member” of the President’s cabinet. These comments were made during an address in Lagos.
In the same speech, the cleric spoke against the declaration of a state of emergency in Rivers State, and faulted the National Assembly for supporting it. He also pointed to rising insecurity, referencing killings in Plateau, Benue, and Enugu states as examples of government failure.
Reacting to these statements, Senator Yemi Adaramodu, Chairman of the Senate Committee on Media and Public Affairs, released an official statement in Abuja. He described Bakare’s comments as politically driven and unfair to the legislative arm of government.
“We view his corrosive criticisms of the National Assembly as a biased and political ecumenical homily,” the senator said.
He noted that while public figures are allowed to express opinions, Bakare’s statements were seen as crossing the line. According to Adaramodu, the Senate felt it was necessary to respond to ensure that Nigerians were not misinformed or misled about the role and performance of the Assembly.
“Indeed, there are well-documented instances where the National Assembly has constructively disagreed with the executive—including on specific provisions of the presidential declaration on the Rivers State state of emergency, which Pastor Bakare referenced,” he noted.
Adaramodu also pushed back on Bakare’s comparison between the current Assembly and the one that resisted the controversial Third Term agenda under former President Olusegun Obasanjo.
“It’s noteworthy that the executive has never brought any unconstitutional agenda before the 10th National Assembly—like the unspeakable but infamous Third Term bid, which Pastor Bakare used as a benchmark for legislative performance,” he added.
He concluded the statement by calling for a national dialogue based on honesty and mutual respect. The senator noted that true nation-building cannot be achieved through divisive comments but through constructive conversations that uphold democratic values.
“The Senate remains open to engaging with all Nigerians, including Pastor Bakare, in the spirit of constructive engagement,” Adaramodu stated.
