Former National Vice-Chairman South-West region of the Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP), Chief Olabode George, has urged leaders of the party still basking in the euphoria of resolution of its leadership crisis by the Supreme Court to reflect on how to avoid pitfalls that led to the impasse.
Speaking with Tribune Online at the weekend, Chief George said the party must henceforth, learn to respect its own rules or perish the thought of giving a formidable opposition to the ruling All Progressives Congress, (APC) or regaining lost grounds in 2019 general elections.
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He said Nigerians were willing to give the party a second chance, judging by the result of the recent Osun-west senatorial bye-election won by the PDP candidate, Senator Ademola Adeleke.
He said: “For me we got a bloody nose, which is a wakeup call. You remember the history of people who were in Egypt. God said He has got a Promised Land for them, they crossed the Nile River, saw the miracle that landed them on the other side. But they forgot the awesomeness of the power of God Almighty and they started worshipping idols and doing what He had warned them not to do.”
“They were supposed to spend only 40 days before they would reach the Promised Land. They spent 40 years! The cost of this experience will be a landmark, a reference point for members of our party. History will judge it, it will remind future generations to say, ‘ah, don’t start this greedy attitude again,’ because we saw how much it cost us, but we can see that the electorate, our real masters are watching.”
“Before the judgment the people in Osun raised their hands and said no to the APC, let us try this other one, the PDP candidate. APC has been in power in Osun state for about seven years or more and they said no, enough is enough! And that’s the beauty of democracy.”
“We must now show that we have learnt our lesson, the mistakes of the past and ready to reposition for a better governance and the voice of the people is the voice of God.”
“That election was a real booster for the party and the people of Osun State have shown that they cannot stand deceit, they cannot stand what is unjust. That’s the message of the election result.”
Speaking on the ongoing feud between the Presidency and the National Assembly, the PDP chieftain dismissed the national working committee of the ruling party, led by Chief Odigie Oyegun of lacking the experience to resolve the impasse, as he noted that the ruling party has no visible and effective organs for dispute resolution.
“APC isn’t a coalition and that’s why I said it was hurriedly put together to battle PDP. It has no tap root. A little wind will take them off. Where are the members of the Board of Trustees, who should moderate between the executive and the legislature? They are both from the same party.”
“In our time, it wouldn’t get to a stage where the Senate will be going north and the executive going south. Where is the common point? Where is the party structure? No national caucus to call them to a meeting and resolve issues quickly?”
“Where are the elders of the party? No Board of Trustees, what you have is Congress for Progressive Change (CPC), All Nigerians Peoples Party (ANPP), breakaway Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP), Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), and then you have All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA).”
“It is because they haven’t really melted together and there is no common point. PDP isn’t only national, it has a very deep taproot. We have just withstood a storm of one and half year and we are coming stronger.”
He further assured that the main opposition party would offer a veritable opposition ahead of forthcoming general elections.
“I believe we shall quickly put our house in order and that means we ourselves must go and do what is right, do what is just and what is equitable, according to that constitution of our party.”
“We will give government in power and their party a run for their money. If they say this is the path we are going, if we see the dangers there, we will alert the electorate and that’s the job of the opposition. We will not be irresponsible, but we will act as dedicated and committed Nigerians, not on frivolous matters because governance is a very serious matter. Are we better off today than before as a nation? Yes, PDP made some mistakes in the past, but we are going to learn from them and avoid such pitfalls in our next movement.”
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