Former Deputy National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, Chief Olabode George, has withdrawn from the chairmanship race of the party.
He announced his withdrawal from the contest at a press briefing in Abuja last night, stating that the PDP has lost its soul.
George’s withdrawal from the contest came few hours to the PDP national convention, where he was expected to slug it out with eight other candidates.
The PDP leader said he was withdrawing based on principle, because he is not comfortable with the dimension the contest has assumed.
He said in the course of the contest, “the Yoruba people have been openly maligned. The Yoruba have been savaged, tormented, treated with contempt, scurried, scoffed at, humiliated and denigrated by little men whose sun will soon set.
“As a Yoruba patriot and the pathfinder of Yoruba land, I will stand by our people, I will stay with them thick or thin, I will fight for their good cause without compromising any ethics.”
George further stated that: “I entered the contest on the micro-zoning principle, which has been thrashed by little men who have compromised. It appears the PDP is bent on self-destruction. I can’t be part of this. The chairmanship position has been sold to the highest bidder.
“I did not enter the race for any personal benefit nor for any pecuniary reason. I entered the race due to the micro zoning arrangement. This micro zoning has been trashed, dumped on the dustbin for personal reason. It appears that PDP is bent on self destruction. It has lost its soul. The PDP is now mangled.
“I hereby withdraw from the fraud. As a Yoruba patriot, I will stand for our people. The zoning principle, which was publicly reinforced last year in Port Harcourt had specifically and rightly affirmed the South-West as the zone to produce the national chairman. This binding proclamation was based on equity, fairness and natural balance that hold any organisation together.
But this old, legitimate and morally sound micro zoning principle has now been trashed, dumped in the waste bin, flung into the gutter by very little men who have compromised the pivotal moral anchor of civilized engagement for temporary selfish gains. Everywhere you look, the Yoruba people are now being brazenly insulted. The very traditional fiber of our founding fathers is now being trampled upon, debased and soiled by external forces and mercenary traitors within.
“It appears the PDP is now bent on self destruction. It has obviously allowed money moguls to dictate its thematic largeness. The party has lost its soul. It has lost its principled beginning and the predications of righteousness. It has traded the finer principles of democratic guidance and equity for the squalid, dirty and shameful resort to mercenary agenda where nothing matters, save the putrid, oafish gains of the moment. I cannot be part of this screaming aberration. And as the Atona of Yoruba land, I do not expect any well meaning, well disciplined, forthright, sincere Omoluabi of Yoruba land to continue with this deceit and shameful theater.
“The Peoples Democratic Party has now mangled and distorted its soul and spirit. There is no morality here anymore. There is no sanity or any sense of enlightened civility. As a result of these observed aberrations wherein the position of the National Chairman has been apparently sold and auctioned to the highest bidder, I as an Omoluabi and as an authentic Atona of Yoruba land, I will not partake in this charade.
“I hereby withdraw from this brazen fraud and absolutely preconceived, monetized, mercantilist convention.”
The former PDP deputy national chairman accused Rivers State governor, Nyesom Wike of casting aspersion on the Yoruba race by his comments on the contributions of the South West to the party.
According to George, the Rivers State governor, while speaking in a television programme had said the South West has not contributed anything to the PDP.
“The governor of Rivers State, Nyesom Wike must as a matter of priority and ethical importance tender unreserved apology to the people of Yoruba land for his unguarded utterances on national television this morning. It was a show of shame”.
However, George said he is not leaving the opposition party, adding that rather than leave the party, he would maintain a “siddon look” posture.