Chief Bode George, a respected PDP elder and former National Deputy Chairman, issued a timely appeal to President Bola Tinubu on Thursday, urging him to demonstrate leadership and transparency by sharing a truthful assessment of the nation’s current position with the Nigerian public.
Bode stressed that the current situation demands a unified approach, rather than political point-scoring or regional agendas. The Nigerian populace has suffered extensively and is eagerly awaiting decisive action and tangible outcomes.
“This is the time for Tinubu to rejig his economic team. There are many Nigerians – from the North to the South – who can offer him economic advice that can turn this country around,” George said during his address to the nation titled “My Thoughts on The State of Our Country in the Last 25 Years: A Time to Chart A New Direction” in Lagos.
According to him, the label “Giant of Africa” has become a misnomer for Nigeria, which has failed to deliver on its potential since the advent of democracy in 1999, leaving room for improvement.
A quarter of a century since the military relinquished power, Nigeria’s progress has been underwhelming, according to [name], who expressed disappointment at the country’s lackluster performance.
According to the PDP leader, Nigeria’s re-emergence as a force to be reckoned with in the international community requires a unified front, with leaders and citizens joining forces to drive meaningful change.
“We can achieve this if we start to redefine our value system, to rejig and restructure the various anomalies that presently hinder the greater possibilities of the Nigerian union,” he said.
He said that successive leaders had failed to grapple with the challenges of nation-building, adding that the country was currently facing an existential crisis.
“The excessive centrality of political power holds everyone down to an unhealthy indolence, strips the states of individual growth and development, disallows free-willing local initiatives, strangles fairness and equity in the larger Nigerian union, inflames tension and fissiparous tendencies,” he said.
According to the PDP chieftain, it is misguided to lay all of Nigeria’s problems at the doorstep of President Tinubu’s administration, highlighting the complexity of the challenges and the need for a collective solution.
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According to the PDP leader, a thorough assessment of the present administration’s achievements requires a longer timeframe, allowing President Tinubu to fully execute his vision and demonstrate tangible results.
George, a respected PDP elder and member of the Board of Trustees, cautioned against viewing the present circumstances through a political prism, emphasizing that the country’s woes require a more comprehensive approach, unencumbered by partisan loyalties.
“This is not the time for political actors to be subjective in their thinking and actions because the challenges before us are far beyond the confines of partisan politics.
“They (politicians) are now blaming the Bola Tinubu administration which has spent about one year in office. Government administration is not a hundred-meter dash race.
“We will advise and condemn so that in a year, we can assess the methodology and performance of the government. Pitiably, some Nigerians have resorted to a blame game,” he said.
According to him, Nigeria can be a better place when all citizens eschew ethnic jingoism, sectarian bias, and crass nepotistic agenda.
He said that the 1999 constitution was not working and should jettisoned.
According to him, the sooner a constitution that truly represents the people is established, the more beneficial it will be for everyone. He noted that the current constitution, which has been in effect since 1999, has failed to yield any meaningful progress.
He finally noted that it is futile to repeat the same actions and expect a different outcome, citing the age-old adage that only a foolish person would continue down such a path.