As the 2019 general elections approach, the Founder of Latter Rain Assembly, Pastor Tunde Bakare, has appealed to politicians seeking elective positions in the country to focus on issues that would benefit the masses.

He made the appeal during a Sunday service to mark Nigeria’s 58th independence anniversary.

“Look at the nation as a whole and look at the agonies and groanings of the people. They still have to do a lot more even before the 2019 elections to assure Nigerians that they are really up to the task of listening to the yearnings of the people,” he said.

Bakare also cautioned those in government to have a rethink of why they are in power, adding that governance means nothing without seeing to the welfare and security of people.

He said, “The purpose of government is the welfare and security of the people. Take that out of the equation, then governance means nothing.

“Many people in power today including those who are in power in this administration do not understand the purpose of power. The purpose of power is not just to fly around and take photographs.”

The cleric also called on the citizens to “demand allegiance to restructuring as a precondition for supporting any party or candidate in the next elections.”

He warned the citizens to be wary of politicians who once supported the campaign for restructuring but “have now restructured their opinion because they have become part of the system.”

According to him, such people seem to have forgotten that the position they currently occupy is not permanent.

Bakare further advised Nigerians to be careful of those who had been in government before and did nothing about restructuring but are now promising to restructure ahead of next year’s election.