Former Deputy National Chairman of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Chief Olabode George, has said that, come 2023, he would quit partisan politics, but switch to playing an elder statesman’s role.
George, who is also a former governor of Ondo State, made this known, at the weekend, while speaking at a welcome party, which took place at his Ikoyi office, to celebrate the successful conduct of the just concluded national convention of PDP and honour Hon Setonji Koshedo, who emerged as Deputy National Secretary of the party on Lagos chapter ticket, at the exercise.
The occasion was graced by party chieftain, including a member of the PDP Board of Trustees (BoT), Prince (Dr) Remi Akitoye; former Deputy Governor Kofoworola Buknor- Akerele, Dr. (Mrs) Onikepo Oshodi, Dr Amos Fawole, Hon. Rahman Owokoniran, Mr Muyiwa Fafowora, among others.
Chief George said his decision was based on advanced age, his state of health having recently undergone surgery, and the need to have more time for his family, but quickly noted that “Generals don’t retire, they only fade away.”
“I was discussing with my first child and he told me after my surgery that they will need me more now. I am 76 years now, I spent 25 years in the Navy and 25 years in politics.
“I said I will remove myself from partisan politics. I will be like an elder statesman but I will not be involved in partisan politics because, by that time, I will be 78. Generals don’t retire, they only fade away. I was 42 when I became governor of old Ondo State,” he said.
“I want to quit partisan politics in 2023. I will remove myself from partisan politics, my family members advised me to have more time to myself, my system also does not support running around,” he added.
George, while noting that he was not a pushover and had gotten to his political zenith in the party, having participated in it actively, said such “gave me a wealth of experience I want to share.”
George, who is also the Atona Oodua of the Source, congratulated all the new officials of the party elected at the convention held in Abuja, saying the convention had demonstrated so vividly the great possibilities that the PDP was indeed the party that can break and remove the various afflictions presently halting the country’s democracy.
He urged the new officers to follow the key tenets of PDP such as justice, fairness and equity in discharging their duties, saying such should be the party’s template for a new nation.
“Our party must return sanity, truth, justice, predictability, fairness and equitable balance to our nation. That is our ultimate burden. That is our template of a new dawn. That is our primary focus of renewal and rebirth. Our nation needs peace.
“We must never be detained by the ills of the past. We must never be held back by the encumbrances of ancient feuds.
“Let us return to the path of brotherhood and peaceful co-existence. Let us embrace civility and the liberating light of science,” he said.
“This is the time to heal the wounds. This is the time to rectify the wrongs. This is the time to preach the bond of a collective oneness. This is the time to forgive and forge a common union predicated on equity, pivoted on fairness, solidify on the premise of justice regardless of tribal or sectarian differences,” he added.
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