Politics

Tribalism, Religious Bigotry Are Two Devils Haunting Nigeria — Bode George

Published

9 months ago

February 8, 2025

Former Deputy National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Chief Olabode George, has decried Nigeria’s persistent political and governance crises, attributing them to tribalism, religious bigotry, and a deeply flawed democratic system.

In an interview, the elder statesman warned that unless Nigeria undergoes real restructuring, its democratic experiment will continue to falter.

Reflecting on Nigeria’s abundant resources, George lamented how greed and self-interest have undermined the country’s potential. “God gave us a massive land, rich in both natural and human resources. There is no part of this country that isn’t blessed. Yet, greed and self-interest continue to plague us,” he said.

He accused political elites of failing to prioritize governance, allowing corruption and inefficiency to fester. “Other nations envy what we have, but we waste it. Look at Ghana; during their elections, the sitting president conceded before the final results. No manipulations, no drama. Here, we introduce a new system, and suddenly, there’s a glitch. It’s disgraceful.”

George pointed to tribalism and religious bigotry as two major obstacles to national unity and good governance. “People make a big deal out of religious differences, ‘Oh, this one is a Muslim,’ or ‘That one is a Christian.’ But what does that have to do with the price of milk?” he asked.

He shared personal experiences of religious tolerance, including how his older sister married a Muslim and became an Alhaja. “She remained my sister till the end. So, I ask, what do religious labels have to do with how we treat one another?”

According to George, these divisions are deliberately fueled by politicians for personal gain. “The British left us two devils: tribalism and religious bigotry. But tell me, what does religion have to do with governance?”

George did not mince words in his criticism of Nigeria’s political structure, declaring that the current system is fundamentally flawed. “It has failed, absolutely. The current constitution is the root of our problems. Every month, states go to Abuja to collect their share of national revenue instead of generating their own. That’s not democracy; it’s a unitary system disguised as federalism,” he asserted.

He advocated for a return to the six-zone structure proposed by former Vice President Alex Ekwueme, arguing that it provided a more equitable distribution of power. “When one region hoards all the power, resentment builds. That’s exactly what happened to my party. The presidential candidate, national chairman, and other key positions all came from the same region. That was a fundamental mistake,” he explained.

For Nigeria to move forward, George insists that meaningful restructuring is the only solution. “Not just any restructuring, but a real, practical one. If we continue on this path, we are only postponing disaster.”

He warned that failure to implement genuine reforms would deepen the country’s woes. “People are suffering. The price of fuel is crippling businesses, yet those who control the banking sector are making billions. If the president truly cares about the people, he should work with the financial sector to stabilize fuel prices,” he urged.

With the country facing economic hardship, insecurity, and rising youth unemployment, George called for urgent reforms. “We had trade centers where people learned carpentry, tailoring, and hairdressing. Now, nothing. That’s why we have a Yahoo Yahoo epidemic, because the system has failed young people,” he said.

He issued a stern warning to political leaders: “Nothing lasts forever. Power is temporary. If you are in leadership, use the opportunity to serve, not to loot. A land of plenty should not have starving citizens. If we don’t change course, history will not be kind to us.”

As Nigeria grapples with these challenges, George’s words serve as both a diagnosis and a call to action. Whether the country’s leaders will heed his warnings remains to be seen.

Politics

FLASHBACK: How Tinubu Blamed Jonathan For Killing Of Christians In 2014

Published

5 hours ago

November 1, 2025

Editor

As allegations of an ongoing ‘Christian genocide’ in Nigeria intensify, a 2014 statement from President Bola Tinubu condemning former President Goodluck Jonathan for failing to protect Christian worshippers has resurfaced, drawing sharp parallels to criticisms now leveled at Tinubu’s administration.

In January 2014, Tinubu, then an opposition leader, lambasted Jonathan over attacks by Boko Haram in Borno and Adamawa states that targeted Christian communities.

“The slaughtering of Christian worshippers is strongly condemnable. It calls into question the competence of Jonathan to protect Nigerians,” Tinubu stated at the time.

By April 2014, amid escalating violence including the Nyanya bombing in Abuja, Tinubu doubled down, emphasising the president’s non-negotiable duty to ensure citizen safety.

“My heart bleeds for our people and the country over the deaths in Nyanya. A government unable to protect its citizens deserves to be queried,” he said.

Eleven years on, Tinubu’s words are being repurposed by critics amid reports of widespread violence against Christians across northern and central Nigeria.

According to a recent report from the International Society for Civil Liberties and the Rule of Law (Intersociety), at least 7,087 Christians were killed in the first 220 days of 2025 alone—an average of 32 deaths per day.

Advocacy groups like Open Doors and International Christian Concern describe the attacks by Islamist militants, including Boko Haram and Fulani extremists, as targeted persecution amounting to genocide, with over 7,000 Christian deaths recorded in 2025 and thousands more displaced or kidnapped.

The Nigerian government has denied claims of religious targeting, insisting the violence stems from broader security challenges affecting all communities.

The crisis gained fresh international spotlight on October 31, 2025, when U.S. President Donald Trump declared Nigeria a “Country of Particular Concern” over the “existential threat” to Christianity there. In a Truth Social post, Trump stated: “Thousands of Christians are being killed by radical Islamists in Nigeria… The United States cannot stand by while such atrocities are happening.”

He urged Congress to investigate and affirmed US readiness to protect global Christian populations, echoing calls from allies like Senator Ted Cruz, who has described the violence as a “religious genocide.”

Opposition figures and faith-based organisations in Nigeria have invoked Tinubu’s 2014 rhetoric to demand urgent action, arguing that the same standards of accountability he once applied to Jonathan now apply to his own leadership.

Security experts caution that while the violence has complex ethnic and resource dimensions, the failure to curb targeted attacks on Christians risks further eroding trust in federal institutions.

The Tinubu administration has not yet responded to the renewed scrutiny or Trump’s designation.

Source: Nigerian Tribune

Politics

Court Stops 2025 PDP National Convention

Published

16 hours ago

October 31, 2025

Editor

The Federal High Court in Abuja on Thursday halted the planned 2025 National Convention of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) until the party complied with the statutory requirements of the party, the Constitution and the Electoral Act.

The suit was filed by three aggrieved members of the party namely, Hon Austin Nwachukwu (Imo PDP chairman), Hon Amah Abraham Nnanna (Abia PDP chairman) and Turnah Alabh George (PDP Secretary, South-South) seeking to stop the convention on the ground of violation to the Electoral law.

Delivering the judgment, the Judge also restrained INEC from accepting report on the outcome of any national convention of the party without following the due process of the law as well as its guidelines and regulations.

The Judge held that INEC is not entitled to give effect to the convention a party not done in accordance with the Constitution, Electoral Act and the guidelines/regulations of political parties.

The plaintiffs instituted the suit seeking to stop the planned November 15 and 16, 2025 National Convention of the PDP scheduled for Ibadan in Oyo State where new National Officers are expected to be elected on the ground of breach of the party’s Constitution.

The nine defendants are, Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC); PDP; Samuel Anyanwu, National Secretary of the party; Umar Bature, National Organizing Secretary of the party; National Working Committee (NWC); and National Executive Committee (NEC) of the party; Ambassador Umar Iliya Damagum; Ali Odefa; and Emmanuel Ogidi.

Politics

2027: Why Jonathan Can’t Run For President – Appeal Court Ex-President

Published

16 hours ago

October 31, 2025

Editor

Former President of the Court of Appeal, Justice Ayo Salami, has clarified why former President Goodluck Jonathan cannot contest the 2027 presidential election.

According to Salami, the Nigerian Constitution explicitly bars any individual from holding the office of President for more than eight years, making Jonathan ineligible to run again.

He explained that Jonathan had already completed the tenure of the late President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua before serving his own full term, which constitutionally disqualifies him from seeking another.

In an opinion piece, Salami argued that any attempt by Jonathan to contest and win in 2027 would amount to a violation of the law, stressing that such a victory would be nullified by the courts.

“It is painstakingly and dispassionately demonstrated that the ambition of Goodluck Ebele Jonathan to contest for the office of the president in the 2027 general election is effectively and undoubtedly shot down,” Salami stated.