A former Deputy National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Chief Bode George, has likened the party’s structure in Lagos and across Nigeria to the deep-rooted Iroko tree or Lebanon oak, insisting it remains unshaken despite recent defections.
George made this assertion on Monday while addressing journalists after a PDP stakeholders’ meeting held in Lagos. He categorically denied claims that the PDP’s political structure in Lagos had collapsed following the defection of key party members.
Among the defectors are the 2023 governorship candidate, Dr. Abdul-Azeez Adediran (popularly known as Jandor), and the party’s spokesperson, Alhaji Hakeem Amode, who recently joined the All Progressives Congress (APC). The duo claimed the PDP’s structure in Lagos had been absorbed into the ruling party — a statement George dismissed as “absolutely nonsensical.”
“All organisations face challenging moments, but the PDP endures because its roots run deep,” George said. “The Iroko political party is very much alive and will not fall to mere political winds.”
He described the defectors as political lightweights and “mere caricatures,” questioning their influence and relevance within the party.
Regretting the party’s endorsement of Jandor in the 2023 elections, George said it was a mistake he hoped would never be repeated. “That endorsement was unfortunate,” he noted, vowing the PDP would no longer allow imposition of candidates.
“We are determined that anyone contesting future elections must go through the people. From now on, no more ‘Baba says’ imposition,” George declared, signaling a shift toward internal party democracy.
Addressing the internal crisis within the party, he acknowledged past mistakes but said lessons had been learned. “We are undergoing self-assessment. These people believe we’ve collapsed, but it’s a lie — a deliberate act of misinformation.”
Turning to national matters, George criticised the reported move by President Bola Tinubu to institute emergency rule in Rivers State. He called for the immediate reinstatement of suspended Governor Siminalayi Fubara and urged the President to respect the democratic mandate of Rivers people.
He raised concerns over Tinubu’s formal request to the National Assembly seeking approval for key appointments in Rivers, including a chairman and six members of the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission (RSIEC), as well as posts in the Primary Healthcare Board, Civil Service Commission, and Local Government Civil Service Commission.
“This move raises serious concerns about power concentration and undermines democratic institutions,” George warned, urging restraint and a focus on Nigeria’s real challenges — insecurity, hunger, unemployment, and social breakdown.
He also cautioned against empowering Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas (Rtd), the Rivers Sole Administrator, to conduct local government elections or fill sensitive positions, saying such actions threaten Nigeria’s fragile democratic foundations.
The meeting was attended by key PDP leaders and stakeholders including Senator Motorola Bucknor, Chief Aduke Maina, Dr. Niran Adeniji, Dr. Layi Ogunbambi, Dr. Amos Fawole, Captain Tunji Shelle (Rtd), and Dr. Seye O’Dairo.
Also present were Alhaji Ismail Abiola, Alhaji Akorode Imam, Alhaja Babs Olorunkemi, Alhaja Tanwa Olusi, Elder John Agbaje, Chief Ahmed Alashe, and members of the PDP Local Government Area Chairmen Forum.