Former Deputy National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Chief Olabode George has appealed to Nigerians not to return President Muhammadu Buhari to power in 2019.
He made this known in an interview with Saturday Sun.
He said that insecurity under the Buhari administration, especially killings in Benue, Plateau, Taraba, Adamawa, Zamfara, Kaduna and other states, had hit alarming proportions and Nigerians should no longer keep silent over the matter.
George said that returning Buhari to power in 2019 could lead to civil unrest and possibly war because of the parlous security situation.
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The PDP chieftain said, “The situation in Nigeria today if not quickly addressed can trigger civil unrest, which can result in a war, but we pray that such will not happen in our nation again. President Buhari took an oath to defend and protect all Nigerians, and this is why he has to do something fast to prevent Nigeria from sliding into a state of anarchy. He should do everything possible to stabilize Nigeria as fast as he can do.
George also joined other opposition figures who accused the president of paying more attention to the 2019 election instead of saving the lives of hapless Nigerians.
He said, “It is unfortunate if politicians will be showing more interest in elections than saving lives of Nigerians. It is only when you have a nation that you can have election. My advise to President Buhari and his party, APC is that everything should be done for Nigeria and the lives of Nigerians to be secured first. We need peace and security first before thinking about election. Nigerians need to be assured that their lives and properties are secured and not endangered. It is only in an atmosphere of peace that you can conduct election. It will be very selfish on the part of APC and its leaders to be more concerned about 2019 general elections than showing interests in saving the lives of many Nigerians that are being endangered by these killings.”
However, the retired senior naval officer rejected calls for the 2019 general election to be postponed because of the security situation, saying that the security challenges could be tackled within a month.
Furthermore, the veteran politician said he cautioned Senate President Bukola Saraki and others against leaving the PDP for the All Progressives Congress (APC), noting that they had become “tenants” in their new party.
He urged them to return to the PDP where they are “landlords”.
George said, “When these people, Saraki, Dogara and others were leaving PDP then, I cautioned them against leaving the party. I told them that in PDP you people are still landlords but when you get to APC, you will become tenants. I further told them that why are they leaving the house they help build to go and become tenants in another house?
“How can you abandon your house because your house was leaking to go and become tenant in another house? Saraki and others don’t belong to APC, they were just tenants there, and that is why they are passing through what they are passing there in APC. For me, Saraki, Dogara and others have no business in staying a day longer in APC, they should return to PDP to help rebuild the party to make it stronger. Now that they have seen how they are being treated in APC, they should come back to PDP.”