Bode George reacts to FG’s Ruga settlements project, advises Buhari

As controversy rages over the establishment of Ruga settlements by the Federal Government, Chief Olabode George has called on President Muhammadu Buhari to convene a national town hall meeting.

George, a former Deputy National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), said the town hall meeting, which would include all interest groups across the country, would address the misgivings over the planned Ruga settlements.

Addressing a press conference this afternoon, George said the national town hall meeting would provide an avenue to explain to the nation the nitty-gritties of the Ruga settlements.

He said the present controversy was fueled by distrust and suspicion among ethnic nationalities in the country.

George, who clarified that he was speaking as a non-partisan individual, said the country was currently not at ease.

According to him, it is only the President that could douse the current tension by convoking the national town hall meeting.

The PDP chief said the Ruga settlement initiative, if not properly handled, could “blow up” the farmers-herders’ crisis.

”This is why I said it is imperative to allow the will of the people to prevail through the national dialogue”, George stressed.

“In a democracy it is better to jaw-jaw than to war-war,” he added.

He said the government should not create the impression of forcing his policy on states which, constitutionally and by Supreme Court pronouncement, have control over land resources.