Lagos State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has described as unfortunate the riotous situation witnessed at the meeting held at the Ikoyi, Lagos office of former Deputy National Chairman of the party, Chief Bode George where five governors, leaders and elders of the party, under the aegis of Integrity Group were hosted to determine the way forward on the leadership crisis currently rocking the main opposition PDP.
The party stated this on Monday in a statement made available to Tribune Online by its spokesperson, Hon. Hakeem Amode, in reaction to the development, but quickly asserted that the “unfortunate incident” cannot and would not in any way affect or hinder the PDP’s preparation to unseat the Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu- led government in the state which it alleged had for long oppressed and intimidated the people of Lagos who were “now yearning for the breath of fresh air offered by our candidates, Dr Abdul-Azeez Olajide Adediran- Jandor and his deputy Funke Akindele.”
According to Amode, in the statement titled: “Imbroglio at Chief Bode George’s Office: An unfortunate incident,” the machinery of the party is now more ready than ever before to deliver Lagos State to PDP and win elections for its candidates at the state and National Assembly and as well as win in the state for the party’s presidential candidate, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, come 2023.
Amode further asserted that Chief George remained the PDP leader at the National, South-West region and in Lagos as well and had the right to host any leader of the party in that capacity.
“Our attention has been drawn to a riotous situation at the meeting held at Chief Bode George’s office where he hosted the self-acclaimed G-5 governors and some members of the party.
“It is unequivocal that Chief Bode George is the leader of our great party at the National, southwest region and Lagos state and he has the right to host any leader of the party in that capacity. Unfortunately, the meeting became riotous and the situation degenerated into an imbroglio.
“It is important to further state that the machinery of the party is now more ready than ever before to deliver Lagos state to our party PDP and to win elections for our candidates at the State and National assemblies and as well as win Lagos state for our Presidential and Gubernatorial Candidates come 2023.
“The unfortunate incident cannot and will not in any way affect or hinder the preparation to unseat the current entitled government in the state which has for long oppressed and intimidate the people of Lagos state who are now yearning for the breath of fresh air offered by our candidates, Dr Abdul-Azeez Olajide Adediran-JANDOR and his deputy Funke Akindele,” Amode said.
It would be recalled that some PDP members on Sunday stormed the Ikoyi office of Chief George to express their strong support for the party’s presidential candidate, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar; the governorship candidate, Dr Adediran and all other contestants to various offices in the state come 2023.
This appears to be against the current stand of the five aggrieved governors led by the Rivers State governor, Nyesome Wike and other members of the Integrity Group, including former governors of Plateau, Ekiti and Ondo, among others who were insisting on recent declaration at Port- Harcourt but said at their meeting on Sunday in Lagos that the window for negotiations was still open, concerning their call for sack of PDP National Chairman, Sen. Iyorcha Ayu, and to be replaced by a Southerner for the sake of ethnic balancing, equity and justice.
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