June 12: ‘Going Forward, You Have No Excuse’ – Bode George Tells Tinubu

A chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Bode George, has said President Bola Tinubu no longer has excuses to justify the economic challenges in the country.

The Publisher Nigeria reports that George made this known in an interview with Punch, during the country’s 25th democracy day celebration on Wednesday, June 12.

The elder statesman recalled he had earlier told Nigerians not to knock the president over the current situation in the country because he was new on the job.

However, the time of tolerance for any excuse has elapsed after spending one year in office because Tinubu cannot pretend to be unaware of the plight of Nigerians, he said in the fresh interview.

George noted that the country was sliding away with hunger and anger in the land, and there was nothing to celebrate.

The PDP chieftain stressed that from today, Nigerians should feel the impact of democracy, adding that President Tinubu must explain the brain behind every policy of his government.

He said, “I told people, I said don’t start firing Bola (President Tinubu) for now because he has just completed one year. He had never served there before. So, give him that one year, that is, May 2023 to May 2024. But it’s over; he cannot pretend now that he doesn’t know the situation on the ground.

“What are we celebrating? There is hunger in the land, and there is anger in the land. Mr. President, from today that he is celebrating democracy day let the people feel the actual impact of democracy. Let us go through the rigours and complete the procedure of normalcy of civilised behaviour.

“Look at Great Britain, the Conservative party has been in power for about 16-18 years, now the people are tired and you see the results of their election. Look at India, 686 million people voted. The total number of voters in Nigeria is not up to 20 million and we can’t manage it.

“We are drowning in the last nine years. From now on, going forward, Bola (President Tinubu) would have no excuse anymore. He must explain every policy that is done.

“We are not playing politics now. We just want to see. I told people to leave him alone (President Tinubu). Last year, he was learning. Now, where do we go? How does he manage the system in a manner to makes life more meaningful for the people?

“I grew up in Lagos Island, I went to my primary school in Lagos Island; there was quality education and discipline. We learnt and this is what has kept us to this level till today. Look at what those schools are doing today. Younger ones are more interested in yahoo yahoo (internet fraud); shortcut to making money and then what do you do with ill-gotten money?.”