Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chieftain and elder statesman Bode George has described what happened when he attempted to run for the party’s national chairmanship.
George claims that when he realized the party’s harmony might be in jeopardy, he had to resign and let someone else take control.
In an exclusive interview with Naija News, the PDP leader revealed the information.
He was responding to the request for a coalition made by Atiku Abubakar, the party’s 2023 presidential contender. George insisted that Atiku was not growing any younger and recommended him to withdraw from active politics.
He then mentioned how he raised the white flag during the contest for the party’s national chairperson.
According to George, Uche Secondus and FCT Minister Nyesom Wike visited him after he withdrew to express gratitude for his resignation.
He remarked, “It is absolutely nonsensical attitude.
“Everything is OK. Since I am older than Atiku, I am able to tell him that. Allow him to take a seat and reflect. What is it? What do we hope to find in life? You will be 79 years old this year. You will be 81 in 2027.
“With God’s grace, if I’m still here in 2031, I’ll be leading that squad the next time we assist a Northerner.
“When they asked me.” One of our leaders derailed Southwest’s bid to become National Chairman and sent the leadership to another zone. When it came time for us to run, I declared that I would do so. I recall that evening, Senator Olujimi and Akpabio visited my campaign headquarters and pleaded with me that the governors had sent them to make sure it would be free of rancour and that I shouldn’t object.
I said, “Okay, I’ve heard,” one day prior to the convention. All of them have banded together, but according to my northern friends and all of the northern delegates, Baba will be at the field. Let’s give it a try.
“I discussed with my wife, I said, look, this is the situation overnight we prayed and I said, okay, I will withdraw. I didn’t go to the field. If I had gone to the field, that would have been fracas.
“I didn’t go to the field. It was seamless. it went freely.
“From that convention hall, Wike, Secondus, all the leaders from Rivers State came to my house. to thank me. See the way the whole thing ended, I did not fight it. I am still alive.”
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