The Senate has issued a stern rebuke to Pastor Tunde Bakare following his criticisms of the National Assembly’s role in the ratification of a state of emergency in Rivers State and the suspension of Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan.
Bakare, the serving overseer of The Citadel Global Community Church, on Sunday lambasted both the executive and legislative arms of government, accusing them of attempting to turn Nigeria into a “mafia state.”
He described the National Assembly’s actions as part of an “institutional immorality Olympics.”
In response, the Senate, through a statement by Yemi Adaramodu, Chairman of the Senate Committee on Media and Public Affairs, condemned Bakare’s remarks as misleading and an overreach.
“The attention of the Senate of the 10th National Assembly has been drawn to public remarks by Pastor Tunde Bakare, which included sweeping generalisations and disparaging commentary aimed at the institution,” Adaramodu said.
While the Senate affirmed Bakare’s right to free speech, it stated that his comments crossed the line into “unwarranted invective” that could erode public trust in democratic institutions.
“Though he is a cleric and a political voice who has previously contributed to national discourse, his latest remarks are laced with contempt and unsubstantiated claims,” the statement read.
The Senate further emphasised that as a trained lawyer and a political figure, Bakare should understand the constitutional boundaries of public commentary, especially on matters that are sub judice.
Adaramodu also dismissed calls for overt hostility between the legislative and executive branches, branding such posturing as performative rather than productive.
“True institutional maturity lies not in performative hostility but in principled engagements and results-driven processes,” he said.
He rejected Bakare’s allusions to past legislative failures, particularly the “infamous third-term agenda,” saying the 10th Assembly has received no unconstitutional request from the executive.
“To cast aspersions on the entire institution based on personal frustrations or ideological differences is unfair and counterproductive,” he added.
The Senate concluded by urging for more constructive national dialogue and hinted that Bakare may, in time, appreciate the current Assembly’s efforts in fulfilling its constitutional mandate.
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