The former Deputy National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Chief Olabode George, has said what he and his party owed President Bola Tinubu administration is constructive criticism, so as to whip the president and his All Progressives Congress in line.
He also advised the leadership of his party, the PDP, to look inwards to examine what went wrong with the party that it performed below average in the last general elections.
Addressing the press in his office in Ikoyi, Lagos, Chief George said irrespective of the difference between him and the president, what is paramount to him and his party is to whip the president and his party into line, saying that was necessary so that Nigeria can move forward.
“I want to appeal to you, it is not a matter of joining his party, we must have a solid opposition to put them (APC) members on their toes, and as long as I live, in the next four years, that will be the role we are going to play, and it is good for them (APC members) because if everybody is telling the APC and the president, ‘what you are doing is fantastic sir’, you know the noise makers there who are saying what the president is doing is fine, they will be the first to condemn the president when he is out of office.
“The president is not a young man; he knows whether people are polishing him and pretending that he is the best fellow. He should watch his back.
“What I owe President Bola Tinubu now, forget about the differences between us, this nation must grow, and when we are in the opposition, we must keep them (the APC government) on their toes for the good of our nation. That is the responsibility that I foresee as an opposition party.
“If there is no strong opposition, the APC government will take this country on a journey ride, but when we give them constructive criticism, they will think twice before doing things; they will say ‘before this party come and slam us, let us consider all options’, not a one sided option,” Chief George said.
