The National Assembly has strongly responded to recent comments made by Pastor Tunde Bakare, describing his criticism of the legislature as biased and misleading.
Pastor Bakare, the serving overseer of The Citadel Global Community Church, had condemned the Senate’s suspension of Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan and the National Assembly’s endorsement of emergency rule in Rivers State. He made the remarks during a sermon on Sunday, accusing both the executive and legislative arms of being involved in what he called “institutional immorality.”
“The two main contenders in the ongoing institutional immorality Olympics are the executive and the legislature,” Bakare said.
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But in a statement released on Tuesday, the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Media and Public Affairs, Senator Yemi Adaramodu, accused Bakare of crossing the line with his comments. He said while the Senate respects freedom of expression, it must push back when public remarks begin to damage the credibility of democratic institutions.
“While the Senate respects the right of every citizen – regardless of status – to express views on national issues, we feel compelled to respond when such statements become unwarranted attacks that could erode public trust in our democracy,” Adaramodu said.
He added that Tunde Bakare criticizes National Assembly in a way that seemed politically charged and not entirely fair. “We view his corrosive criticisms of the National Assembly as a biased and political ecumenical homily,” he stated.
Adaramodu suggested that Pastor Bakare’s remarks may be fueled by personal or political ambitions, rather than a sincere desire for national progress. “His attacks—whether driven by ideological differences or possible political positioning—are unfair and unhelpful to Nigeria’s democratic development,” the statement read.
The Senator emphasized the need for constructive dialogue rather than divisive speech. “What Nigeria needs now is dialogue grounded in truth and mutual respect, not rhetoric that weakens faith in our institutions,” he added.
Despite the pushback, the Senate remains hopeful that over time, critics like Bakare may come to appreciate the work being done by the 10th National Assembly. “With a more balanced review of our performance during these challenging times, Pastor Bakare might eventually acknowledge our commitment to serving the people in line with our constitutional duties,” Adaramodu said.
The controversy comes as Tunde Bakare criticizes National Assembly at a time when the country is dealing with multiple governance challenges, and the role of lawmakers is increasingly under public scrutiny.
