Bode George assures of PDP’s victory in 2015

By The Citizen

The former Deputy National Chairman, South of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has said that the party as a truly nationalistic has nothing to fear come 2015 elections compared to the ones with tribal sentiments.

Fielding questions from State House correspondents after the South West caucus of the PDP met with President Goodluck Jonathan at the presidential villa, said they were in the villa to meet with the President and ensure there is no acrimony in the party ahead of 2015 elections.

George described those who pretend to be friends with PDP as termites, sent to cause disaffection in the party, adding that real members will not abandon ship but will stay to chase out the termites.

“If you build a house, termites will come, if you are not careful. But in our own game, in politics when you get to this stage, anything is possible in a political war. They can send people who are friendly with you to come and pretend that they are your friends, those are the termites I am talking about. You don’t run away from the termites inside your house and say you will be a tenant. You must stay and make sure that the termites in your own house are caged”, he said.

On what the group came for in the Villa, George said, “We came to see the leader of the party to discuss the situation in our zone. And with all intents and purposes, we don’t want to have an acrimony. You know this is why we have to say that there is need to take a cursory look at the PDP South West because the house that has been built, we cannot allow it to be destroyed. If termites enter your house, you don’t run out to go and be a tenant elsewhere, you must fight it and so we made the presentation of our complete X-ray of the PDP situation in the South West and I believe that the meeting was very successful. I am happy that we are going to start looking in the same direction at the end of this time”.

He said the national convention was one of those issues that needed to be addressed.

He said, “The speculation about what is happening in the party and all that. You know big man big problem. The way the other little, these new parties are coming up. For us, we have been there since 1998, they will have to come and learn how to manage Nigeria, they have been managing tribes, the tribal set ups all over the place. But this time around, they are going to learn how to manage Nigeria and that is what the PDP has been doing. Remember also that the zoning concept in our own constitution is not in the national constitution but we are happy that it has sustained democracy since 1999 and we have concluded and we are affirmed that there will be no shaking”.

He said the issue of national secretary formed part of the meeting, “That is the essence of the meeting, coming to the Supreme Court here of the party. That means it is a serious business but we are all happy that all is well that ends well”.

On Strategies to capture South West, George said, “as an old soldier, you don’t discuss your strategies on the pages of newspaper. We will get there”.

Those present were Vice President Namadi Sambo, Chief Abiola Ogundokun, Chief Ebenezer Babatope, Senator Iyiola Omisore, Senator Hosea Agboola, Professor Tunde Adeniran, Senator Lekan Balogun, Senator Musliu Obanikoro, Chief Kayode Adetokunbo, and Elder Wole Oyelese, the ministers of Police Affairs, Caleb Olubolade, Defence, Olusola Obada, Commerce, Segun Aganga, among others.