A former deputy national chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Chief Olabode George, has urged Nigerians to pray for the success of the country and ite new leadership.

He told journalists in his office in Ikoyi, Lagos, that it is only by prayers that the country can overcome its current challenges.

George said if Nigerians can excel in other countries, there is nothing preventing them from doing well in their country, if an enabling environment is created.

He lamnted instead of the nation's leaders to address the challenges facing the country they were setting the citizens against one another.

"The problems I am talking about, were inflicted on ourselves. I hope those who can handle it and put a smile on our faces will run this country.

"It is like a ship that is taking in water and you are not stalking it. Who wants us now? The G20 nations don't invite us again, they are now talking of Rwanda. We sent our men to help in liberating South Africa, we sent our men, our officers to liberate Zimbabwe, we sent our men to liberate Liberia and Mali, so what is wrong with us?

"The tribes are now set against one another, this tribe will be fighting that tribe, for God sakes, when you were to be given birth to, did you make arrangements with God that you want to be Yoruba, Ijaw or Hausa or Fulani, who chose? And from my training, either Muslim or Christian, the training is to do unto others as you want them to do unto you, that is the basic norm of life.

Speaking about his party the PDP, he said the party needed to be sanitised, fumigated and cleaned up to be able to serve the purpose its founding fathers had in mind when the party was formed.