A stalwart of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), and former Military Governor of Ondo state, Chief bode George, has urged President Bola Tinubu to tell his Bank Manager friends to donate money from profits they make yearly in order to cushion the effects of hardships arising from removal of fuel subsidy.
The politician equally urged the Supreme Court to review their stand on the withholding of federal allocation to the government of Rivers State due to the legislative brouhaha between the Minister of the FCT, Nyesome Wike and governor Simi Fubara, saying that civil servants who deserve their pay at the end of the month will suffer unjustly.
Chief George said these during a State of the Nation interview on Eagle 102.5 FM’s Current Affairs Program, “Frontline”, located at Ilese Ijebu, Ogun State. He said that President Tinubu should “put smiles on the faces of Nigerians by immediately lowering the cost of consumptions in the country. This is because he has removed fuel subsidy, and the rest, and people are suffering.
“I said to him that all those his friends who are in the banks, who are Managing Directors of banks, can help. Are they really Managing Directors of banks or Damaging Directors of banks? What are they doing there? Wait until they release their annual report and see the amount of billions that they make. Do they have factories?
“Go to the Airports, all those people with private jets, where do they work? Managing Directors of banks. Is it the first time we are having Managing Directors of banks? For God’s sake, let them have some sympathy for those they make money from. I can start to mention names; I don’t care. If they have any shame, let them contribute with minimum of N5bn each.
“If the president says he wants to reduce cost of fuel per litre to N300 or N400, you will see immediately, how many people will be jumping up. You will see how many people will feel happy, because the cost of food will crash; the cost of transportation will crash. The cost of many things making us to be angry now, will crash and that will put smiles on our faces. Those friends who followed Tinubu to France and other countries are there. Let those friends contribute something. Go to America, when such a situation happens, friends of the President will contribute.
“If you know that you cannot bear this cost of subsidy, ask your friends to help you. And many Nigerians will be happy. Go to town and see how many people are suffering. We know it as politicians, but how much can you feed people? And we are telling Mr. President to do something, but he hasn’t done anything. Does he really know that there is hunger in the land? They say they are reducing the pump price. What reduction is that? People are buying a litre of fuel at the cost of N900, N800 from over N1,000. What reduction is that? I said bring it down to N300 or N400 and you will see the joy and happiness in the people. Owners of businesses will go and employ more people.
“If we are talking of subsidy, go and ask why are we still having kidnapping, unrest, banditry all over the places? There is insecurity problem and it is as a result of hardships in the country. And see the judgment of the Supreme Court regarding Rivers State. They said Federal Allocation to the state should be stopped. Why that? It will add to the sufferings of the people. And this is the epicentre of commerce for the people. What do you want the people in the street to take home? Many people that will bear the brunt are the civil servants. How will they eat if you stop the federal allocations to the state? If at the end of the month you are told that you will not have a salary, how will you feel? How are you going to pay your children’s school fees?
“If you want to cancel the election, cancel it. The majority of people getting money from the allocation are civil servants. Stopping the Federal Allocation to the state is not fair, it is not just, it is not equitable to the workers. Where do you want them to get money to fend for themselves? The civil servants require their salary. For God’s sake, don’t let us kill this Nation. We need justice; we need fairness; we need equity in this country. Why will the Supreme Court rule on what is not before them? Why stop the allocation? The bottom line of everything is politics. The Supreme Court should please shy away from it. Let them review their position if they want peace for this country”, the former deputy National Chairman, PDP, pleaded.
Echezona Okafor.
