Bode George, the former deputy national chairman (south) of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, has said that the presidential spokesperson, Bayo Onanuga, will pay for insulting former President, Olusegun Obasanjo over the latter’s position on the high level of corruption in government and the conduct of the 2023 presidential election.
George said Onanuga’s response to Obasanjo was insulting adding that the former president was only enough to be Onanuga’s father. He opined that Onanuga would one day face repercussions for insulting response.
It is recalled that Obasanjo had, during his address at the Chinua Achebe leadership forum at Yale University on November 16, described the 2023 general election as a “travesty of justice.
Obasanjo had also called for the removal of INEC chairman Mahmood Yakubu for the manner the election was conducted.
The former president had also noted that Nigeria is deteriorating and bedeviled by “widespread corruption, poor leadership, and immorality,” which has led to insecurity and underdevelopment.
While responding to Obasanjo’s position, Onanuga had accused the former president of failing to solve problems facing the country when he was in government, adding that elections conducted under Obasanjo were the most fraudulent in Nigeria’s history.
Onanuga had also noted that Obasanjo’s tenure contributed to the current economic crisis the country is facing having failed to lay a solid foundation for prosperity for subsequent governments.
However, George while speaking on Onanuga’s response, lambasted him for calling Obasanjo names and ‘insulting’ an elder, noting that he would face consequences for such disrespectful attitude.
George said the Yoruba tribe of which the former president and Onanuga hails from forbids a younger person insulting and elderly one saying Obasanjo was old enough to be Onanuga’s father.
“An old man who could be Bayo Onanuga’s father said something, and you took him on by blasting him right, left, and centre.
Even if you want to react, the Yoruba culture does not allow that insult from him. Someday he would pay back, because there would be a day after, and that’s more important.” George said .
He also w reminded Onanuga that he had in the past also insulted him(George ) and warned him to be cautious in his approach to issues.