A former Deputy National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, Chief Olabode George, has urged President Muhammadu Buhari to take urgent steps to check the spate of killings across the country, saying security of lives and property should be given adequate and proper attention.
George said that the killings have become a major national crisis, which had now made it imperative for elders and all patriots to speak out regardless of political party affiliation.
The chieftain said in an exclusive chat with our correspondent that President Buhari should urgently convene a meeting of all stakeholders in the Nigerian project to discuss and proffer immediate solutions that would bring the lingering insecurity and incessant killings to a quick end.
‘’I like President Muhammadu Buhari, and I want him to succeed. But if the truth must be told, this nation is burning. We have to set politics aside now, and speak as patriots. President Buhari should call a summit of elders and other stakeholders to discuss how to end these killings. This is not about politics now, but about national interests. We need to talk on how to restore peace back to Nigeria,” he said.
George also described the recent defections by National Assembly members, state governors and others from the ruling All Progressives Congress to the Peoples Democratic Party as a good omen for the main opposition party.
He said that the development would boost the electoral fortunes of the PDP.
While describing the defections of the Senate President, Dr. Bukola Saraki, and other APC bigwigs to the PDP as home-coming, George argued that Saraki and others had always been an integral part of the PDP.
He said, “I have always told people, including PDP leaders that Saraki and others that left PDP to join APC have only gone on a sabbatical and that they are coming back to their natural home, which is the PDP. APC is not a political party, it is a gathering of strange bed fellows, and that’s why right from day one of its coming into existence, the party had not known peace. It has been one crisis after the other, and now we are happy that Saraki and others are back in the PDP fold.”
George said that nobody should shed tears for the APC over its current political crisis, adding that the ruling party was only reaping what it sowed.
‘’What is happening to APC today is nemesis, what they call law of Karma. In 2014, APC caused PDP some discomfort, when there was a gale of defection of leading PDP members to APC. But PDP weathered the storm, and today the party is waxing stronger, and stronger while APC is being depleted. For us in PDP, what is happening in APC is to be expected because APC, in the real sense of it, can’t be described as a political party. APC is a contraption of strange people trying to come together, but they have not been able to speak with one voice, and this is why the centre can no longer hold for APC’,’ he said.
Speaking on the on-going political crisis in Benue State, George implored the Federal Government not only to tread softly, but also to refrain from backing and promoting illegality.
“The on-going drama in Benue State is very unfortunate, and it is very sad and tragic that the Federal Government and the APC
are openly supporting the illegality going on in Benue State. Look at how APC National Chairman, Adams Oshiomhole and the Minister for Information, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, have been openly supporting the
illegality in Benue State, where only eight lawmakers, who are in the minority, have threatened to impeach Governor Ortom. These minority lawmakers were also given police protection. But thank God the judiciary has intervened,” George said.
