A former Deputy National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, Chief Olabode George, speaks with MUDIAGA AFFE on the state of insecurity in the nation, his plans to contest the 2023 presidential election, and the problems in his party, among others

You have shown interest to contest the 2023 presidential election. What are the motivating factors?

First, our party will have to agree if it is coming to the South-West or not. We have a highly cerebral group made up of seasoned Nigerians where we discuss issues on Nigeria and the South-West. The thought came out when people started talking about the South-West and in my part of the world, if some people are wishing you to do something, you do not deflect it. Although the time is still far ahead and nobody knows who will be alive or not, when this discussion came up, I got calls that this is what they were thinking. I did not tell them to stop, neither did I tell them to go ahead because these are things you will have to put into prayers and if it is the wish of the Almighty, it will get open to me. Like I told them, there is a myriad of problems in this country today and usually, in four-year term governance, you start political discussions at least during the third year. If you have a problem, you will start to address it from the top to the bottom. We just concluded an election process and it is not up to one year but the state of the nation gives me a lot of concern. I am talking as a Nigerian. The level of our civility, development and the level in which this country has achieved, the whole thing is crumbling.

What is responsible for that?

First, it is our nation and it has nothing to do with a political party. If you do not talk when issues are like this, then you have no right in the future. You may advise which may not take, but to be quiet is immoral and dishonest. Look at the recent rating by Transparency International on our corruption index, we have further plunged. As a nation, how well are we respected internationally? I can tell you that it is almost zero.

They probably think that if they start early, there would be calmness in the minds of the people. Or are they afraid that the present administration should wind up and get out of the office? There are so many meanings you can read into it. Our major issue now is not about politics but the management of the country. All is not well. There is hunger in the land and hunger does not have a tribe. We are expanding the grudges between tribes and promoting divisive things. You cannot make suggestions without attacks from other quarters. What is responsible for this? However, let us resolve the issue of mistrust before we talk of any election. Why are we looking at ourselves as enemies? A divided house is a defeated house. Our nation must survive. I concluded that we would need to go and dedicate one week to pray to God Almighty because we have offended His dictates. Whether Muslim or Christian, we need to fast and pray.

You had also recently expressed desire to challenge the National Leader of the All Progressives Congress, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, in the next election. Why did you make a direct challenge?

It is a challenge. It would be the most illogical and most disruptive issue to have him (Tinubu) elected as President. If this happens, I will disown Nigeria to take the citizenship of Togo or any other country. Look, what this fellow did in my state, all the lies and the most painful thing was that on the day of the election (2019 election) two bullion vans drove in the daylight to his house and what did Prof Itse Sagay say, that he (Tinubu) had been a very wealthy man before. Where was he wealthy? If his (Sagay’s) conclusion was that, then something is wrong. Let us call a spade a spade and stop deceiving ourselves. So, if that is the way they want to do it, then I am ready to face him (Tinubu). Let us get out there because it would be the greatest disservice for our nation to have him contest as a presidential candidate.