By Tunde Oso

Eshanekpe Israel, also known as Akpodoro, the Mayor of Urhoboland and head of the Association of Urhobo Mayoral Family (AUMF), has described recent remarks by Chief Bode George, a chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), as a “midsummer night’s dream” rooted in the boredom of political retirement.

Chief George had expressed at his 79th birthday celebration that Nigerians were eagerly awaiting the opportunity to vote out President Bola Tinubu in 2027 due to prevailing hardships.

Responding from his Ughelli Mayoral Palace, Akpodoro asserted that Nigerians were instead poised to renew President Tinubu’s mandate overwhelmingly in 2027. He praised Tinubu’s administration, claiming it was delivering “immeasurable dividends” and rekindling hope in a prosperous and equitable Nigeria, contrasting this with what he described as 24 years of socio-economic and political harm under the PDP.

Akpodoro commended Tinubu’s leadership, noting the president’s political will and capacity to steer the nation out of the ruins allegedly caused by the PDP. He accused critics, including Chief George, of being reactionary elements opposed to the ongoing economic reforms spearheaded by the All Progressives Congress (APC).

The Urhobo mayor further criticized Chief George for allegedly reneging on his pre-election promise to go into self-imposed exile should Tinubu win the 2023 presidential election. He suggested that George’s continued presence in Nigeria was a testament to the renewed hope Tinubu’s leadership had instilled.

Akpodoro also pointed to the PDP’s tenure during periods of high oil prices, accusing its leadership, including George, of squandering opportunities to improve the nation. He lauded Tinubu as a reformist and nationalist working to dismantle entrenched corruption, citing the removal of fuel subsidies and the naira float as significant achievements that disrupted profiteering networks.

He called on President Tinubu to revisit unresolved issues, such as the collapse of the National Shipping Lines, which he linked to mismanagement under the PDP. He described the removal of subsidies as a permanent change, asserting that any resulting challenges were temporary and that Nigerians largely supported the reforms.

Akpodoro dismissed criticisms from PDP members, accusing them of hypocrisy and of presiding over the worst elections in Nigeria’s history. He called on Nigerians to ignore the narratives of those he claimed brought the nation to its knees, expressing confidence in Tinubu’s transformative administration and predicting its victory in the 2027 elections.

“President Tinubu is the consensus choice of Nigerians for 2027,” he concluded, urging citizens to support the president’s vision for a renewed and prosperous Nigeria.