Pastor Tunde Bakare disowns by Save Nigeria Group

Less than a week after the strike over removal of oil subsidy, the Save Nigeria Group (SNG), one of the civil society organizations that partnered with labour to fight the Federal Government may be heading for crisis.The group yesterday dissociated itself from its Convener, Pastor Tunde Bakare, saying that the cleric’s views during the weeklong strike were his and not that of the SNG.In a statement by its National Coordinator, Benedict Ezeagu and Public Relations Officer, Olabode Francis, the group regretted rumour in the media and government circle that SNG called for ‘regime change’ during protests against hike in fuel prices.The group said it respects the rights of Bakare to express his political views within the ambit of the law but that whatever views he (Bakare) may had expressed on the fuel price hike controversy were his and had nothing to do with the SNG.

“Pastor Bakare was suspended as a member of SNG in June, 2010 when he tried to railroad the organization into partisan politics without the consent of its founding members and has not been re-admitted since then.

“So, it is very wrong and a disservice to SNG for the government, the media or any member of the public to insinuate or hold that the views of Pastor Tunde Bakare who is an opposition politician, a card-carrying/active member of CPC and the running mate to its presidential candidate are those of SNG,” it said.

It recalled that SNG and Lawyers of Conscience as harbingers and defenders of democracy led Nigerians to the streets in January 2010 to enforce constitutionalism by successfully demanding for the swearing-in of President Goodluck Jonathan as the acting president of Nigeria during the crisis that followed the late President Umaru Yar’Adua’s sickness. The group also noted that while condemning the unwarranted harassment and murder of innocent Nigerians by Boko Haram and overzealous security agents during the anti-fuel hike protests, SNG re-affirms its solidarity with the people and their fundamental human rights.

“The SNG also laments the increasing deployment of religious bigotry, ethnic prejudices and partisan sentiments as instruments for resolving the National Question and therefore warns that such actions represent nothing but an invitation to and recipe for fratricidal war in the country, which is an ill-wind that blows no one any good. It is a threat to the corperate existence of the country, and a disservice to Africa and the impoverished Nigerians who may eventually be murdered if this brewing national turmoil is not immediately nipped in the bud,” the group said.