Elder statesman Bode George has criticised President Bola Tinubu’s recent media chat, describing it as lacking empathy and humanity. George argued that the President’s remarks demonstrated insensitivity to the struggles of Nigerians facing worsening economic conditions.
Speaking on Channels Television’s Politics Today on Tuesday, George highlighted the devastating impact of recent food queue stampedes, which claimed 67 lives across the country. He stated, “There is hunger and anger in the land,” while accusing Tinubu of insisting that his reforms are effective despite widespread poverty and business closures.
“We are not feeling it; it is getting worse by the day,” George said. “Hunger doesn’t believe in your talk—you’ve got to be real.”
Call for Immediate Action
George, a member of the Board of Trustees of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), criticised the tone of Tinubu’s media chat, calling it an inappropriate way to end the year. “I’m surprised that there is no iota of sombreness or humanity in the discussion. Why have such a discussion in the first place?” he remarked.
He called for a reduction in petrol prices and urged the Tinubu administration to provide immediate palliatives for impoverished Nigerians, whom he said have borne the brunt of the government’s policies.
Economic Challenges
Nigeria, Africa’s most populous nation, continues to grapple with severe energy and economic challenges. All state-owned refineries remain non-operational, forcing the country to rely on imported refined petroleum products. Following the removal of the petrol subsidy in May 2023, fuel prices skyrocketed from approximately ₦200/litre to over ₦1,000/litre, compounding the difficulties faced by citizens dependent on petrol for vehicles and electricity generators due to decades-long unreliable power supply.
Simultaneously, the unification of forex windows led to the naira’s value plummeting from ₦700/$1 to over ₦1,600/$1 on the parallel market. This has triggered soaring food prices and inflation, leaving Nigerians struggling with the cost of living.
Despite widespread calls to reconsider his policies, Tinubu defended his administration’s decisions during the media chat. He maintained that the removal of the petrol subsidy was necessary and insisted that Nigeria could no longer act as “Father Christmas” to neighbouring countries.