By Temidayo Akinsuyi

LAGOS – Chief Olabode George, a former Deputy National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), has said that Nigeria is practising a military form of government in a demo­cratic setting.

George noted that with the situation of things, Nigeria was becoming a failed state and could crumble if nothing urgent was done to address the country’s challenges.

He called on President Muhammadu Buhari to re­visit the report of the 2014 na­tional conference and use the recommendations to address the myriads of agitations, pro­tests and insecurity challeng­es in the country.

Speaking exclusively with Daily Independent, George, who maintained that the im­plementation of the Confab report was the only way out for Nigeria, said President Buhari should quickly con­sider the report before the commencement of the 2023 general elections.

While urging devolution of powers to the states, George said jettisoning the report in its entirety without making use of the viable recommen­dations that will help address Nigeria’s challenges is not the proper thing to do.

According to him, past leaders such as former Pres­ident Olusegun Obasanjo, General Abdulsalami Abu­bakar, Ibrahim Babangida are also complaining because having left offices, they have had the opportunity of reex­amining the current system that we operate and have real­ised that it was not working.

George, who is the Atona Oodua of Yorubaland, said, “The only solution now is for the Federal Government to bring out the report of the 2014 national confab, exam­ine it and set up a committee to examine the process. But to discountenance the report in its entirety is not the prop­er thing to do.

“The reality is that we cannot continue with this system of governance. It is a military type of government in a democratic setting. It has not worked and will not work. We have tried it for more than 16 years and yet no result.


“We have seen the flaws in the system, so let us cor­rect them and set a direction that will be beneficial to all Nigerians. We must set up a committee to look at the 2014 confab report and let them debate it because it is unan­imous decision of the whole country.

“There must be devolution of power. Power must come from the base to the top, not the reverse like we have in the military which is power from the top to the bottom. In democracy, it is power from the people upwards.

“We are in the month of May. President Buhari has one more year to sort all these things out before we begin full electoral activities. He has effectively one more year to set things right.

“Former leaders like Baba Obasanjo, General Abdulsa­lami and others have played their roles. They are also complaining now. Some of them have had the opportu­nity to revisit this current system we are operating. They have seen the flaws in it and it is so akin to a mil­itary organisation. There is need to devolve powers and strengthen the base of the nation.

“Let the states organise themselves with their avail­able resources. There are wealth in each state that can be harnessed instead of de­pending on federal monthly allocation. Before now, how many people knew Zamfara State has large deposits of gold? The same with Ilesha.

“If we harness this and mineral resources, that will help the economic develop­ment, there will be competi­tion among the states. Any state that can’t survive alone should merge with another state.

The former military ad­ministrator of Ondo State also warned against printing of money as means of ad­dressing the economic chal­lenges, saying doing so will lead to massive inflation.

“Now, they are talking about printing money. That is going to bring about massive inflation. Millions of people are currently unemployed, both graduates and non-grad­uates. Is this how we are going to continue?”

On the claim by the presi­dency that attempts are being made to overthrow Buhari’s government, he said, “There is nobody that wants to over­throw anybody. Nobody has time for overthrowing any government now”.

https://independent.ng/nigeria-operating-military-govt-in-a-democracy-bode-george/

He is not far from the truth, this is the only adminstration of a democratic government that when you speak against them, you are considered an enemy. They are just ruling in the nation as a military own

Where are the features of a democratic system of government of watchdog, checks and balances, separation of power. This government has just turn everything upside-down making it look like the inhabitants of this country are fools and don't know our rights.

Posterity will judge oo... No accountability, selfless service, oops!... Buhari why .

Wow... FTC for the first time

So Happy, Today would be great for all Nairalanders members and I as we journey out for today's activities. Amen.

May we not be victims of kidnappers ooo.Amen.

Why’s dis old man still fighting hard to be relevant

Sad truth

In as much as I agree with him a little, let it be known that they are all the same

If it was a military government it would have been better. What we have is a government run by proxies.

The real president seem to be unaware of things happening around him. He probably have dementia or some severe old age related sickness.

tyrant ruling us

I wish we can truly operate GMB instead of PMB ..
Bascads like this tewonde should be behind bars now

Buhari should be impeached

That is what Patrick Ogbayanbo called KHAKHISTOMOBOPLUTOCRACY

We are in 1992 now

This country can never be better.Buhari done give this country better smackdown.
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Hmmm

Buhari is not there.
My guy do not know what is going on anymore.
Though, when my guy buhari won the 2015 election, he regretted not able to rule Nigeria before 2015.

Bla bla bla. One doesn't have to read the nonsense emanating from the mouth of this ex-convict. I mean it's now very easy for members of the PDP to start pointing fingers because they're not in government anymore. However, many of us who have tall memories are very aware most of the nonsense bedevilling the country today started when they were in power and they did absolutely nothing about it.

Atleast we know the government of GEJ vehemently refuse to accept the Chibok school girls were kidnapped until it was too late. Yet, people like Reno Omokri will start shouting like Awilo "free Leah Sharibu" when he didn't even shout "free Chibok girls".

What a bunch lying sleaze bags.

Yet BMC, yoruba muslims and northerners see no problem with this same govt....

What's the difference between Nigeria and those other Africa countries that have ruled by one president for 10, 20 - 30 years

the difference is those other countries do not recycle tyrants, thieves, criminals, clueless, dumb, dead, brain dead, wicked, demonic, terrorists every 4/5 years....

Yes ooooo

Nothing is working ,in this country.

This was same style of government Franco, Hitler, Pinochet, Mobutu Sese Seko, Idi Amin, Saddam and another dictatators used. They came in cunningly under the guise of a saviour of the country, using economic and other factors as excuse. They gradually shut the opposition and gradually but systematically eliminate them,sending those who are lucky enough into exile.

Nigeria is witnessing the most brutal and vicious regime ever in the history of this country. Abacha is a Saint compared to Buhari and this will be revealed after he leaves power. The revelations of the killings and looting spree in this administration will make us shed tears.


Hitler committed suicide with Eva Braun his mistress in 1945.

old men planning a future they will have no part in.

Unfortunately, you don't have any moral platform ogbeni Bode.

A useless jihadist that should be in his village drinking cow piss as usual

True talk

Bode George is very wrong, military Government is far better than what we have,no military government will condone killings by bandit and terrorist,I prefer Abacha s tenure to what we av now.

this same and his pdp crew frustrated us into this why are they wailing?
if they did thing right then no one will consider change, it's time we start voting personality and not party.

Another bloody crook the useless Nigerian press collect money from and make him appear to be the person with knowledge and solution to Nigeria's problem.

Bode George, e no go better for you, your children and your entire descendants!!!

To Bode Gorges credit, he was the first person from the South West to raise alarm about the assured negative consequences of the 'sectional mentality' behind the formation of the APC.

He warned in 2015 that if the Hausa-Fulani and the Yorubas decided to form a party to run the country only by themselves, that it was a matter of time before the rest of the country will start to agitate to pull out...
And that is exactly what's happening today.

Very strange that people like Bode Gorge, Fani Kayode and the late Odumakin who tried to reason in broader ways are always maligned in the South West but tribal mutants like Tinubu and Fashola are praised to high heavens. . Yet these are people who ostensibly believe in "One Nigeria"..

That's who they are,set of military wrong leader still rulling now,God have mercy

Okay