Revamp Your Economic Team, Bode George Advises Tinubu
Chief Bode George, a former National Deputy Chairman of the PDP, urged President Bola Tinubu on Thursday to transparently inform Nigerians about the country’s current state.
“This isn’t a time for partisan or regional politics. Nigerians have endured enough and seek swift results.
“This is the moment for Tinubu to overhaul his economic team. There are many capable Nigerians—from the North to the South—who can provide economic strategies to transform this country,” George stated during his address titled “My Thoughts on The State of Our Country in the Last 25 Years: A Time to Chart A New Direction” in Lagos.
He noted that although Nigeria is often called the Giant of Africa, it hasn’t met this expectation since the return to democracy in 1999.
George remarked that 25 years after the military withdrew, the country hasn’t made significant progress.
The PDP leader emphasized that Nigeria can reclaim its prominent international status through the collective effort of both leaders and citizens.
“We can achieve this by redefining our value system and addressing the current issues that hinder the greater potential of the Nigerian union,” he asserted.
He criticized successive leaders for their failure in nation-building, stating that the country is now facing an existential crisis.
“The excessive concentration of political power stifles progress, inhibits state-level growth and development, discourages local initiatives, undermines fairness and equity, and heightens tensions and divisions within the Nigerian union,” he explained.
George also argued that it’s unjust to blame all the nation’s issues on President Bola Tinubu’s administration. A fair evaluation of the current administration’s performance should be conducted after the President has been in office longer.
George, a member of the PDP Board of Trustees, stated that it’s incorrect to view the current situation through a political lens, as the challenges facing the country extend beyond partisan politics.
“This isn’t the time for political actors to be biased in their thoughts and actions because the issues we face go beyond partisan politics.
“Some are now blaming the Tinubu administration, which has only been in office for about a year. Governance is not a sprint. We will provide guidance and critique so that in a year, we can evaluate the government’s methods and performance. Sadly, some Nigerians have resorted to a blame game,” he commented.
He believes that Nigeria can improve if citizens reject ethnic nationalism, sectarianism, and blatant nepotism.
George argued that the 1999 constitution is ineffective and should be replaced.
“The sooner we have a constitution created by the people, the better for everyone. We’ve been using this constitution since 1999, and it hasn’t brought us progress.
“Only a fool repeats the same actions and expects different outcomes,” he concluded.
