Invasion of BoT meeting: Don’t turn PDP into an ‘agbero’ party, Bode George warns

Chisom OZ January 31, 2025

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Blame PDP elders like Bode George for non-payment of ground rent for 28 years, not Wike – Lere Senior Special Assistant to the FCT Minister on Public Communication and New Media, Lere Olayinka, said in a statement in Abuja on Saturday, that it was funny that Chief Bode George, who was in the party’s National Working Committee (NWC) that failed to conclude purchase of the Wadata Plaza National Secretariat of the PDP, could come to national television to say “Wike has crossed the red line by revoking the PDP’s national secretariat in Abuja.” Bode George, had said during an interview on a television station on Friday, that Wike’s action was an open declaration of war against the PDP. Responding, Olayinka said it was painful that elders like Chief Bode George, could chose to play the ostrich on a matter so glaring as the revocation of 4,794 land titles for not paying Ground Rent for as much as 43 years. He asked; “Why didn’t the PDP pay Ground Rent for 20 years on its Plot No. 243 national secretariat (under construction), which is the only property belonging to the party among the 4,794 revoked titles? How’s government’s enforcement of the consequences of land title owners’ refusal to pay Ground Rent declaration of war? Should the FCTA under Wike have treated PDP differently from the 4,794 owners of land titles that were revoked over failure to pay Ground Rent?” While clarifying that the Wadata Plaza property being used as Secretariat by the PDP was not owned by the party, Olayinka said the property belonged to Senator Samaila Mamman Kurfi, who bought it from Wadata Enterprises Nigeria Limited. “The PDP offered to buy the Wadata Plaza property in 2005, and when the Minister’s Consent was sought, the party was asked to pay N26.9 million. The money was never paid. “The party wrote a letter to Malam Nasir El-Rufai, the FCT Minister then, to waive the payment, claiming that it lacked the financial capacity to pay, but he (El-Rufai) insisted the party must pay. “El-Rufai, who insisted PDP must do the right thing by paying the necessary fees to the government was a member of the party then, and Chief Bode George, who was in the PDP NWC, did not go to national television to accuse him (El-Rufai) of declaring war against the party. And if the owner of did not pay ordinary N2.8 million as 28 years Ground Rent, who is to blame? “On the PDP national secretariat at Central Area, is it the fault of Wike that a mere N7.6 million, was owed as 20 years Ground Rent despite that over N21 billion was raised in 2014 for the completion of the building?” While counseling Chief Bode George, to start functioning like an objective elder that he should be, the FCT Minister’s Spokesperson said “what should have been done was to seek information, rather than going on television to advertise hatred against a Minister who is simply doing his jobs without looking at people’s faces. “If Chief Bode George had sought necessary information and refrained himself from acting out of hatred for Wike, it would have been known to him that also affected by the revocation were government owned institutions like Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC), Borno State Government, Nigerian Television Authority (NTA), Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), National Universities Commission (NUC), Kaduna State Government, Nigerian Port Authority (NPA), News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), Federal Ministry of Environment, Nigerian Security Printing and Minting Company, University of Calabar and Nigerian Postal Service and Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN). “And like I asked earlier, if Chief Bode George were to be the FCT Minister, would he have treated PDP differently from the other 4,793 land title owners?” — Blame PDP elders like Bode George for non-payment of ground rent for 28 years, not Wike – Lere

Former Deputy National Chairman of the People’s Democratic Party, PDP, Chief Olabode George, on Friday, described the invasion of its party national secretariat by thugs as is despicable, horrific, inhuman, wicked and unheard of just as he warned that the PDP should not be turned into an ‘Agbero’ party.

Speaking while addressing newsmen in Lagos, Chief George said it was sacrilegious that thugs were hired to enter the party premises to unleash mayhem, disrupting the 79th Board of Trustees (BoT) meeting.

He, however, called for sanctions to be slammed on those involved in the invasion saying the action must be condemned.

He said: “As a dedicated life member of the Board of Trustees (BoT) representing the Upper Chamber and embodying the moral compass of our party, I feel compelled to sound the alarm in a matter requiring urgent attention.

“What happened on Wednesday during the 79th meeting of this August body in Abuja is despicable, horrific, inhuman, wicked and unheard of. The individuals who orchestrated the use of thugs to invade our Party Secretariat acted shamelessly and this action must be condemned by all of us who value democracy.

“It is disheartening that the PDP, the bastion of civility, humility, decorum, harmony and respect for the rule of law since 1998 when it was formed by our elders such as Chief Solomon Lar, Dr. Alex Ekwueme, Chief Bola Ige (who wrote the constitution of the party), Alhaji Adamu Ciroma, Chief Sunday Awoniyi, Alhaji Bamanga Tukur, Chief Sunday Afolabi, and others, who did not allow personal interests to overshadow their collective interests of the party, are now dancing on the graves of some of these elders.

“This situation arises from the actions of certain disloyal individuals within our party. I strongly believe this should also be seen as a serious offence which should not be condoned. What happened on Wednesday was horrendous, terrible and dreadful. We are all aware that the National Secretariat of our party in Abuja is sacred. The premises must be respected by all members and non-members.

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“It is sacrilegious that thugs were hired to enter the premises to unleash mayhem, disrupting the 79th Board of Trustees (BoT) meeting. If that could happen, then what do you think those who sponsored the thugs will do during National Working Committee (NWC) and National Executive Committee (NEC) meetings?

“I have consistently stated that those with a belligerent attitude, if they are not ready to repent, should be shown the way out. As the largest party in Africa, PDP should not be turned into an ‘Agbero’ party by any member with an inordinate ambition. We have rules and regulations that govern our party.

If we are indeed serious as a party, this is the time for the party leadership to bring the two opposing factions together for a peace meeting. If they are not ready to embrace peace, they should step aside and allow the party to move past the current turmoil.

“Enough of this arrant nonsense. We found ourselves in our current situation due to a self-inflicted crisis. We should bury our individual ambition now and not allow the PDP to crumble. Elders of the party should tell those funny characters to calm down.

“As leaders, we must not allow anybody to destroy our party because PDP is the only true national party. The APC is just a mere congregation of strange bed fellows.

“This is the time to show members working against our party the way out. No sentiment at all. Anything else will be suicidal.

“Can you imagine a situation in which party officers were attacked and dragged out of the hall by thugs? What a desecration of our office.

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“Nigerians watched as thugs, sponsored by some so-called leaders of the party, scaled the fence of our national secretariat. What a national shame.

It took the intervention of the police and other security agents around to bring the situation under control, using pepper spray. This is profanity of the highest order.

More security personnel from the Nigeria Police Force, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps were mobilised to our party secretariat to restore normalcy. What a national embarrassment.

“I want to send this advice to all that this humiliation of our party and elders must stop. The leadership of the party must also wield the big stick. Nobody is too big to be disciplined by our party. Also, nobody is too important to be expelled. Only patriotic members of our party are indispensable. If you think you are a member of our party and you are arrogantly working against us, I can tell you that your days are numbered.

“Unless we are united, with equity, fairness and justice being the pedestal for any political decision taken, this party will be heading to disaster in 2027.

“A divided house can never be united. You cannot sleep soundly when you have snakes in your bedroom. That is exactly the situation in PDP today. Nigerians are angry and hungry as a result of the economic policies of the APC Government.

“Instead of instigating crisis in our party, why are they not bold enough to defect to APC? Do they fear God at all? Enough is enough.”

Nigerians are hungry, angry

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Speaking on the state of the nation, the PDP leader tasked President Bola Tinubu to address the economic challenges facing Nigeria.

He said: “My message to Tinubu is very clear: Nigerians are hungry and angry. This is the time, as the Commander in Chief and the Chief Driver of the economy, to do something about the economic malaise in our Country. You must alleviate the suffering of the people now. 2025 is key in this regard because by 2026, politicking for the 2027 elections will start.

“2025 is very crucial to turn around the fortune of this country and make Nigerians safe and secure in their fatherland.

“There is no separate market for APC and PDP members. All Nigerians go to the same market. Everybody is feeling the anti-people policies of this government. Bola Tinubu must pause today and reflect: are people benefiting from the policies of my administration?

“When he came in 2023, a litre of petrol was less than N200 and in the exchange rate market, Naira was less than N800 to a dollar. What do we have today?

“What exactly is the economic policy of this administration?

President Bola Tinubu, Nigerians demand a quick answer to this important question.

“Finally, my concern is this: What will happen to our Country if this wind of the New World Order blows across our Nation. With the Francophone Countries surrounding us with political instability and a big quarrel with France their colonial master, are we ready to remain stable and be strong? Let’s start this discussion now as a stitch in time saves nine.”