“Buhari Once Shouted ‘Jesus Christ of Nazareth’ When He Almost Fell at His Home” – Pastor Bakare Dismisses Religious Fundamentalist Label

Pastor Tunde Bakare, former running mate to late President Muhammadu Buhari in the 2011 presidential election under the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC), has debunked the common perception that Buhari was a religious fundamentalist. Speaking during an interview on Channels TV’s *Politics Today* on Monday, Bakare shared a personal experience that he says changed his view of the former president.

Bakare recalled an incident in Kaduna during the campaign season when Buhari, after arriving home and staggering slightly, unexpectedly exclaimed, “Jesus Christ of Nazareth.” Bakare said he was taken aback by the statement and asked Buhari about it. According to him, Buhari replied, “You do not have the monopoly of Jesus Christ, I’m thanking God.” Bakare added that he later discovered many of Buhari’s close aides, including his long-time driver and bodyguards, were Christians, which further countered the narrative of religious intolerance.

Buhari passed away on Sunday in London at around 4:30 p.m. after a prolonged illness. His burial is scheduled for Tuesday at 2 p.m. in Daura, Katsina State. President Bola Tinubu has approved a state funeral to be coordinated by an Inter-Ministerial Committee led by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator George Akume.

According to a statement signed by the Director of Information and Public Relations, Segun Imohiosen, the committee includes several key ministers and top security officials. These include the Ministers of Finance, Defence, Information, Works, Interior, FCT, Housing, Health (State), and Culture. The Permanent Secretary of the General Services Office will serve as the committee’s secretariat.

To honour the former president, President Tinubu directed all Ministries, Departments, and Agencies to open condolence registers at their entrances for public tributes. Central condolence registers have also been placed at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Bola Ahmed Tinubu International Conference Centre in Abuja. Additional briefings are expected in the coming days.

The Federal Government has declared July 15 a public holiday in honour of the late President, according to a statement from Dr. Magdalene Ajani, Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Interior.