In a surprising new rhetoric, Chief Bode George, an opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) politician in the SouthWest, has called on Nigerians to give President Bola Tinubu an additional year to address the nation’s challenges and fulfill his campaign promises.
During an appearance on Arise TV’s The Morning Show on Friday, George said that Tinubu, as a first-term president, requires some time to study the “mess” left over by the administration of former President Muhammadu Buhari, and implement his policies and prove his vision to the Nigerian people.
George was an avowed political opponent of Tinubu in Lagos State. Prior to the 2023 general election he had promised to emigrate if Nigerians made the error of voting for Mr Tinubu.
He surprised his listeners, even the anchorman, Rufai Oseni when he argued that Tinubu’s inexperience at the national level justified the grace period.
Tinubu was once a governor of Lagos state between 1999-2007.
“I hope you are not changing tones and doing ‘omo eni ki’n s’edi bebere’1 because the President and APC sent some people to you,” Rufai asked.
Old Rival Defends Tinubu
George drew parallels with former President Olusegun Obasanjo, who on assuming office in 1999, according to him, also needed time to adjust during his first year in office.
“He (Tinubu) had never served at that level (presidency). Well… you will say he was part of the party (APC) that formed the government (of Muhammadu Buhari), but it’s a hell of a different thing taking over and now leading the team.
“To be fair to my conscience, he has had that one-year holiday of trying to study the failures of the past administration. I have given him that one year of grace because now he has seen it and lived there.
“I expect his ministers to have come back in one year with those areas of lapses. Even when Baba (Olusegun Obasanjo became president in 1999, he was still trying to figure out what happened there or vise-versa in his first year. Let’s give him more time,” Mr. George said
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1 Google translation, ‘the son of the one who asked me to ask‘.
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