Politics

PDP Chieftain, Bode George Speaks On Alleged Rift With Tinubu

Published

1 year ago

May 14, 2023

Editor

Following his prolonged frosty relationship with the President-elect, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, former Deputy National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Chief Olabode George, weekend, said he bears no grudge against the former Lagos State governor.

Over the years, George has been a major critic of the President-elect and has threatened to go on exile if Tinubu becomes Nigeria’s president.

But some elders in Lagos State, weekend, met with the PDP leader and urged him to support and collaborate with Tinubu as he assumes office on May 29.

The outcome of the meeting to reconcile George and Tinubu was brokered by a former judge of the Lagos State High Court, Justice Ishola Olorunnimbe (retd).

The meeting, which dragged late into the night on Saturday, had in attendance leader of the Governance Advisory Council, GAC, the apex leadership of the party in Lagos State, Prince Tajudeen Olusi; the Senior Special Assistant to the President on SDGs, Mrs Adejoke Orelope-Adefulire; former Deputy Governors of Lagos State, Senator Kofoworola Bucknor-Akerele and Prince Abiodun Ogunleye.

Others present are former acting Secretary of the PDP, Chief Remi Akitoye; former Minister of Communications, Major General Tajudeen Olarenwaju (retd); Chief Gbadebo Dallas and Mrs Onikepo Oshodi.

I’ve no running battle with Tinubu—Olabode George

Speaking after the meeting, Chief George commended the elders for the peace parley adding that it is a positive step towards a new Lagos.

On the request made by the APC leaders urging him to cease further fire against Tinubu, the PDP leader said he has nothing personal against the President-elect.

His words: “Let me say there is no political differences. Justice Olorunnimbe is like a father, we respect our fathers in Lagos. When I got an invitation from Papa Olusi that he wanted to come and see me the first time, I told my friend who delivered the message that I should go and visit him and not the other way round. But Papa Olusi said said he had to come and see and that it had to do with the situation in Lagos.

“This is the second time Papa Olusi is visiting. We had detailed discussions that bothered on the unity of Lagos. I must say we re-established the fact that the culture of Lagos is to accept and accommodate other tribes.

“Secondly, on the details of us working together, because a divided house will be a defeated house, I have explained to Baba Olusi that there is no problem about working together. The kind of platform we are trying to have is for a unity of purpose in Lagos State, irrespective of party affiliations.

“On the bottom line, you are a Lagosian though we can different political affiliations.

“Now, they came for three things: they talked about the running battle I had with Tinubu and I have said I absolutely have no battle, nothing personal between him and I.

“What had happened has gone, vengeance is not mine but the almighty God. We will have differences, we will disagree but we must not be disagreeable.

“They made a request which we are all looking at. They requested that someday we should also congratulate Asiwaju and we said yes, but that I belong to a political party. They are all in the courts now. Let us finish the court cases. Whichever way that goes, the issue of congratulating him or not will come to fruition. I have nothing personal and nothing happens without the almighty God. As a believer, that is my school of thought.

“This union and discussion we have had is a positive step towards a new Lagos.”

Why we want Tinubu and Bode George reconciled —Olusi

Speaking on the purpose of their visit, Chief Olusi explained that the meeting was to seek the collaboration of George and other elders for the development of Lagos State.

He said: “This is a gathering of eminent Lagosians and this is my second coming to meet with Chief Olabode George. The president-elect of Nigeria is Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, he was a former Senator from Lagos but we know that the relationship between the President-elect and Chief Olabode George is not cordial. We think it is important that as leaders of the community, we should take steps to improve the relationship. Therefore, I got an appointment with Chief George on May 1, 2023 to discuss and request for a further meeting.

“I also requested that a former justice in Lagos State, Justice Olorunnimbe (retd) be here to put his elderly posture as well as his experience in ensuring that we have a cordial discussion with Chief Bode George.

“The meeting has been cordial and useful; and I can tell you that we have agreed on the mission of this delegation that we, in Lagos with Chief Bode George, should give our support to the President-elect as soon as he assumes office on May 29 as the president of Nigeria for the good of Lagos and betterment of the country.

“That is the purpose of our discussion and it has been successful.”

Also speaking, Justice Olorunnimbe (retd), who brokered the peace parley, described the meeting as fruitful.

Olorunnimbe said: “The discussion was cordial, frank and interesting. There is a concensus that we, as leaders of the community must cooperate. Chief Bode George, in his usual human approach hosted us and we had a fruitful discussion which will benefit all of us.

“Let me make it known that this is not a political meeting but a meeting of elders of the Lagos community, discussing with another elder statesman, who all of us have great respect for.”

Politics

JUST IN: Ex-PDP Deputy National Chair, Oyedokun Defects To APC

Published

16 hours ago

May 16, 2024

Editor

A former Deputy National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, Alhaji Shuaib Oyedokun, has resigned his membership of the party and announced defection to the All Progressives Congress.

Oyedokun, a notable personality within the political circle in Osun State and beyond, said he decided to dump the PDP after consultation with his loyalists.

He said he would be joining APC, where his experience, efforts, and leadership roles would be valued and appreciated.

His resignation letter addressed to the National Chairman of the PDP through the ward, local government and state chairmen of the party obtained late Thursday further read, “As a functional member and leader of PDP (Ward 13, Jagun/ Osi-Bale Ode, Odo-Otin South Local Government, Osun State,) whose high electoral productivity and value have been credibly and positively acknowledged in my ward, across the local council, state and country-wide for the enhancement of the fortune of the PDP, I have the honour (though with pain) in announcing the renunciation of my membership of the party on principle, having observed that the ideals of we, founding members, had been sorely contaminated.

“In taking this step which is not even without due consultation with my teaming loyalists in the PDP, I have consequently decided to shift my allegiance to the All Progressives Congress (APC) where I believe my experience, efforts and leadership roles would be valued and appreciated.”

Oyedokun’s defection to the APC is coming at the time the aspirant he supported during the 2022 Osun governorship primary of PDP, Mr Dotun Babayemi is also moving to the national ruling party.

Osun APC said on Wednesday that Babayemi and his supporters would be dumping PDP and joining the party at a rally scheduled to be held in Osogbo on Friday.
PUNCH

Politics

Poll: APC Has No Sellable Candidate, Nothing To Campaign On – Edo Govt

Published

4 days ago

May 13, 2024

Editor

The Edo State Government claimed on Monday that the All Progressives Congress, APC, has no credible candidate for the September 21 governorship election.

This was an assertion made by the Edo State Commissioner for Communication and Orientation, Chris Nehikhare, at a press conference in Benin City.

Nehikhare also alleged that the party is using lies and propaganda as its campaign strategy.

According to him: “The only APC strategy for the governorship election is to resort to lies and propaganda. When a party takes lies and propaganda as an election strategy, it means it has nothing to offer the people. The party lacks people with character, capacity, and intellect.”

The commissioner who took journalists through a screened shot WhatsApp chat said: “What we have here is the official APC WhatsApp platform, their own people screenshot their discussion. One of them who has a conscience asks, is this the only thing we have?”

Nehikhare, who said APC is ashamed to campaign for its candidate, noted that, as of today, nobody had heard of what the party has for the state.

“All we heard is how they are going to help their paymaster, lies and propaganda that will not help the state,” he added.

He opined that lies and propaganda are not strategies the opposition party, like APC, can use to win the September 21 governorship election.

The commissioner, who warned against misinformation and fake news ahead of the governorship election, urged media practitioners to be neutral in matters concerning lies and propaganda.

He, however, noted that Governor Godwin Obaseki’s administration has a lot of achievements to market and sell its candidate for the election.

Politics

Defection: Edo Govt, Ex-PDP BoT Member, Idahosa In Verbal War

Published

4 days ago

May 13, 2024

Editor

Edo State government and a former member of Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Board of Trustees, Charles Idahosa, on Monday traded words over the latter defection to the All Progressives Congress, APC.

Recall that Idahosa resigned
formally resigned who had last month resigned from PDP, rejoined the APC on Monday in Benin City.

Speaking during his formal presentation to the APC in Benin City, he noted that he left the party four years ago due to internal crisis.

Idahosa added that he dumped the PDP because of what he described as the “damning deeds of the Obaseki-led administration in the last four years”.

He took a swipe at Obaseki for saying that PDP would win the forthcoming September governorship election with 80 per cent of votes.

“I thank God, four years later we all are wiser now. Like the Secretary said, I was a founding member of ACD, ACN and APC. The damage we did four years ago, the APC never remained the same.

“But I am glad we are back to the family. I was nominated to the Board of the Railway when I was in the APC. When I moved to the PDP, I wrote to resign my membership but it was rejected and showed my wide acceptance.

“At 71, I am not here to contest position with anybody, I am here to work. I want to urge APC to keep their eyes on the ball. It is not over until it is over.”

While lambasting Governor Obaseki for his comment that those leaving PDP have been given money, he noted that his greatest regret was not allowing the governor to resign after his first four years in office.

“When he came to beg me like a weather beaten chicken, how much did he give to me? Anytime he goes religious gathering he would say those leaving PDP have been given money.

“He came to me three times in my house to say he wants to resign, that he was tired of being governor but I appealed to him, telling him it was not about him but Benin interest.”

But in a swift reaction, the state Commissioner for Communication and Orientation, Chris Nehikhare alleged that Idahosa was never a PDP member.

Nehikhare noted that Idahosa was also never a BOT member of the party, because the party in the state rejected his nomination.

He alleged that it was as a result of the rejection that he found his way back to APC.

“I heard that he claimed to be a member of BOT of PDP but I want to challenge him to tell us when he was sworn in as a member of PDP BOT. He was not a fit and proper person. Even though he was nominated he was shunned by the party.

“It was this that drove him back to APC which he never left in the first place. He was holding on to the board appointment which was offered him while in APC prior to 2020 governorship election.

“He has reached the end of his political career. He has nothing to offer any political party or any group he joins because he believes in bread and butter politics,” Nehikhare said.