• Says divided house stands defeated
  • Moans over Nigerians hardship

By Merit Ibe, Lagos

Following the court order sitting in Markodi, Benue State, restraining the National Chairman of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), Iyorchia Ayu, a former Deputy National Chairman of the Party, Mr Bode George, has revealed that he had a face-to-face meeting with Mr Ayu and advised him on how to thread, but he wouldn’t take his advice.

Speaking on Arise TV on post-election matters, the erstwhile Deputy National Chairman who groaned over the unprecedented economic hardship in the country said Mr Ayu has been handling the party affairs like a private enterprise.

Recall that a former secretary to the Federation, Mr Ayim Pius Ayim, former governor of Ekiti state, Mr Peter Ayo Fayose and others were suspended by Mr Ayu, while the likes of Benue State governor, Mr Samuel Ortom were referred to the disciplinary committee of the party recently.

However, George said, “I had meetings with Ayu but he wouldn’t listen. How can you be throwing fireworks at key officials of the party? Moreover, only the National Executive Committee (NEC) can suspend members of the NEC. All these people are members of NEC. You don’t run a party like a private enterprise.

“I am good at physics. We were taught that ‘to every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction’. There are challenges rocking the party already, the election is not totally over yet, and you don’t begin to act like headmaster against your party. He didn’t get approval from NEC before suspending them. A divided house stands defeated”

Related News

He called on aggrieved members to sheathe their swords and look up to post – mortem analysis of the party, saying that Ayu and other party stalwarts steering the affairs of the party would one day leave the stage but they should not let their actions drag the party to a bottomless abyss.

“My anger was my people were ostracised and abandoned from key positions of the party. If they are not careful, they would drown this ship. I have said it, I’m an irredentist PDP member”

He challenged President Muhammadu Buhari to prove to Nigerians (if he’s a man of integrity or not) that he (President) would leave a legacy of free, fair and credible elections. He urged the judiciary not to allow anybody to influence their decision with respect to the Petitions filed by dissatisfied political candidates on February 25th presidential election, against INEC, APC, INEC Chairman and other defendants.

“John 8:32 says, ‘You shall say the truth, and the truth shall set you free. I pray the Almighty God would work through the minds of the Justices to dispense Justice to the satisfaction of the masses. I don’t believe Nigerians massively voted for the same APC that denied them food, water, money, electricity, security and other basic necessities.

“INEC ran elections in Edo, Osun, Ekiti, and Anambra and all were flawless, why this presidential election which is more heavier? Why can’t we do the right thing at the right time?

“Very soon I will quit partisan politics. I’m almost 80. As for leaving this country, I will decide when to leave but Nigeria remains my country, no apology for what I said,” he reiterated.