Tribalism, religious bigotry are two devils haunting Nigeria — Bode George
A former Deputy National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Chief Olabode George, on Thursday, urged President Bola Tinubu to revisit some of his policies to put smiles on the faces of Nigerians.
George, who gave the advice while addressing a news conference on the state of the nation in Lagos, called on the President to unravel issues around oil and gas, as well as power sectors to get the country out of the woods.
“Having been trained by this nation and worked for this country, if I see things not going the right direction and keep quiet, I will be failing. So, it is not a matter of fighting.
“Our country Nigeria is in a political and economic intensive care unit. So, we need proper surgeons- political surgeons and economic surgeons.
“We are talking about people who have gone through this before, who should be able to come to give us that freshness of breath to get out. We must put smiles on the faces of Nigerians no matter where they reside.
“Well, some of us can manage, but what about the myriads of so many young Nigerians who cannot even have any meal,” George said.
Speaking on the oil and gas sector and issues around fuel subsidy, the elder statesman urged the President to speak the truth to Nigerians.
On electricity, the PDP leader decried the high cost of power, saying that the development had killed so many small businesses out of markets.
George, who expressed surprise that not one of 18 gas turbines bought by ex-President Olusegun Obasanjo had been fired, said that regular and cost effective power supply remained the backbone of the economy.
On the #EndBadGovernance nationwide protest, George commended young Nigerians who went out peacefully to give feedback on policies to the government.
On food insecurity, the PDP leader, noting that the solution was not in the importation of food, said there should be short, medium and long term policies to empower farmers.
He urged the President to assemble former and current managing directors of banks in a closed door meeting for the way forward.
George, who advocated restructuring, power devolution, resources control and electoral reforms, urged the President and the National Assembly to revisit the 2014 National Conference.
On the recent Supreme Court’s ruling granting full autonomy to local governments, he said that the Federal Government did not have any business with local governments.
Speaking further, the elder statesman decried the alleged high-handedness of Lagos State task force in impounding and auctioning motorcycles and vehicles of traffic offenders, describing it as wickedness.
The elder statesman said that Nigeria must bury the problem of tribalism and religious bigotry slowing down its progress.
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