Former Deputy National Chairman of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), Bode George, has warned the judiciary not to truncate the electoral process as it delivers judgment on the Presidential Election Petition.
The elder statesman, while speaking during a state-of-the-nation press conference in Lagos on Monday, said the judiciary should never go through the route of announcing any of the 2023 presidential candidates as the winner.
Bode George said the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) procedure was faulty; therefore, the judiciary should order a rerun.
He noted that pronouncing any of the candidates as President would redefine democracy in Nigeria as the government of the judiciary.
The PDP leader said, “Whoever that the tribunal eventually announces as the winner of the election, I am saying, if the judiciary pronounces anybody the President with the shambolic procedure from this election, it will be a shame on this country. The judiciary should never go through that route.
“The procedure is faulty, so they should direct the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, to go back and do the election again. If it is one million times, go back and do the election. You see now that there is peace in Kenya because the Supreme Court said go back and do the election.
“Otherwise, if they pronounce Mr A or Mr B as the winner of that shambolic election, then democracy in Nigeria would be redefined as the government of the judiciary, for the judiciary and by the judiciary. Is that a democracy?”
Bode George also took a swipe at the economic policies of President Bola Tinubu‘s administration, saying it is hurting Nigerians.
He faulted the Federal Government’s method in the distribution of N5 billion palliatives to Nigerians, describing it as voodoo economics.
He said, “There is no individual in this globe called earth that knows it all. Who is the Chief Economic Adviser in the Villa? Is he a voodoo economist? Is he a medieval economist? Basic theory in economics says that when too much money is chasing a few goods, it causes hyperinflation. You gave N5 billion to states as palliatives, Who took that decision? Lagos has more than 22 million people, Bayelsa has about two million people and they have the same money.
“Kano with a huge population got the same with Jigawa. Is it money for the boys or money for the people? The whole world is now a global village.
“The moment Russia shut down their gas pipeline to Europe; they have all been in hell. What we are talking about here is the pain the people are passing through.
“In England too, there is pain and the people are shouting, doctors are on strike and the salary can no longer meet their daily needs. The cost of electricity has gone through the roof. But in Nigeria, what the hell are we doing here?”
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