"I Prefer Going On Exile Than Living Under Buhari" — Bode George

Former Military Governor of Ondo State, and then national vice-chairman in the southwest zone of the People’s Democratic Party, Olabode Ibiyinka George widely known as Chief Bode George, In a new interview with Vanguard Newspaper, speaks on the decision by former President Olusegun Obasanjo to dump the PDP, prefering to go on exile than living under Buhari led government among other burning national issues. Below are the excerpts:

How do you see the decision of former President Olusgun Obasanjo to dump the PDP?
It is very sad. After he came out of incarceration, when most of his businesses were down, the party invited him and put a new beginning into baba. He has benefited from the party. I don’t think that I have heard of this that a man, who has been to the pinnacle to tear the party’s card publicly. There are things you should not expect an old man to do. It is unfair. Very unfair. This leaves a sour taste in the mouth of those who were part of his rebuilding. It is a very bad decision.

But Obasanjo says President Goodluck Jonathan plans to perpetuate himself in government like former Ivorian President Laurent Gbagbo?
He (Obasanjo) says he is a Christian and as a Christian, it is emphasised in the New Testament of the Bible where Christ said judge not so that you will not be judged. But his judgement is no longer about the policies of Jonathan. He has gone down to the extent of saying Gen. Muhammadu Buhari will jail you that is why you are afraid. I am holding my breath because in an African setting, you talk to elders with respect and that is why I am trying to get the right words to describe my feelings. Baba (Obasanjo) is not a young man. He was head of state at 39. So averagely, he should be about 84 or 85 and I am requesting that he should graciously fade away into the midnight.

Why did the military surround former Governor Bola Tinubu’s house?
If Bola Tinubu finds his way into national government, I will be on exile. He hasn’t the temerity, the calmness of mind. They don’t even know what to do in power. Because the Vice President is his boy, he will just order that Bode George should be picked up. He said soldiers came to him but he must have been dreaming. When he said soldiers had surrounded his house, I drove down there because my house is not too far from there. I know the hierarchy of the military and its behaviour. That they surrounded his house is lie number one because on either side of his house are two buildings. There is also one at the back so I wondered where the soldiers were hiding. Why would you lie for public consumption? So when I got down there, I knew that his spin doctors were working.

Read the full interview here