2 weeks ago
22
…Says PDP BoT recognises Okoye as national secretary
By Bianca Iboma-Emefu
Bode George is a prominent member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Board of Trustees (BOT), and a former deputy national chairman of the party.
In this interview with journalists in Lagos, he spoke about the crisis rocking the party and decision made by the BoT, hunger, insurgency, deportation by U.S President, Donald Trump.
The ruling party appears to be forcing its policies, making life difficult for many Nigerians. The PDP, which should serve as an opposition, is struggling with internal conflicts. How do you feel?
Very sad. No matter how much one tries to cover up, the truth will surface. Our country, though artificially created, could be in a much better position than this. Unfortunately, greed, pettiness, and poor governance have held us back. Nigeria is abundantly blessed, both in natural and human resources. I have travelled across this country, from Lagos to Borno, Calabar to Sokoto, and everywhere, I see potential. Yet, self-interest continues to plague us.
You mentioned tribalism and religious bigotry as major issues. How have they impacted governance?
They are the biggest obstacles to national unity. People fixate on religious differences, “Oh, this one is a Muslim,” or “That one is a Christian”, but what does that have to do with governance? The Bible’s Old Testament is similar to the Torah and shares principles with the Holy Quran. My own sister married a Muslim and became an Alhaja. I personally sponsored her and her husband to Hajj. She remained my sister. We attended church together, and she attended Quranic school. Did that change our bond? No. Yet, people use religion to divide and discriminate. The real problem is that politicians exploit these differences to manipulate the masses.
Given the challenges, do you see hope for Nigeria?
Yes, but only if we change our mindset. Leadership should be about service, not personal gain. Look at Alexander, the Great, he conquered the world but died with nothing. He even ordered that his hands be left outside his coffin to show he was taking nothing with him. Yet here, people hoard wealth as if they can take it to the afterlife.
What should the government focus on right now?
Three things: economic reform, security, and youth empowerment. People are suffering. Fuel prices are crippling businesses while those in the banking sector make billions. If the president truly cares, he should collaborate with financial institutions to stabilize fuel prices. Youth unemployment is another crisis. When I was younger, we had trade centres where people learned carpentry, tailoring, hairdressing, and other skills. Now, nothing. That’s why we have Yahoo-Yahoo epidemic, because the system has failed young people.
What do you think is the real solution to Nigeria’s problems?
It’s simple: treat others as you want to be treated. The Holy Book says, “Love your neighbour as yourself.” It doesn’t specify “your Yoruba neighboir” or “your Hausa neighboir.” None of us chose where to be born. We didn’t request to be Christian, Muslim, Igbo, Hausa, Yoruba, or even German. We just came into the world, and one day, we will leave. So, why all this deceit? Power is temporary. If you are truly competent and deserving, nothing can stop you from achieving what God has planned for you.
You’ve had a long journey in politics. Did you ever plan to become a politician?
No, never. I had different aspirations, but life took me in this direction. At one point, I even wanted to be the chairman of my party, but people undermined me. The day before the convention, I realized it would cause a major crisis, so I stepped aside. But am I still not here, contributing? Titles don’t define impact.
You’ve been vocal about Nigeria’s governance. What is the biggest issue?
We are not serious as a country. We have both natural and human resources, yet we are struggling. Other nations envy what we have, but we waste it. Look at Ghana, during their elections, the sitting president conceded before the final results. No manipulations, no drama. Here, we introduce a new system, and suddenly, there’s a glitch. It’s disgraceful.
Would you say Nigeria’s democratic system has failed?
Absolutely. The current constitution is the root of our problems. Every month, states go to Abuja to collect their share of national revenue instead of generating their own. That’s not democracy; it’s a unitary system disguised as federalism. We copied America’s democracy but refuse to implement it properly. In the U.S., each state has its own resources, local police, and financial autonomy. Here, everything is controlled from Abuja, which is a recipe for failure.
The BoT waded into the crisis bedeviling the progress of the party, especially with the aggrieved parties. What is the decision of the Board?
The BoT’s decision recognised Sunday Ude-Okoye as the party’s National Secretary. We advised Samuel Anyanwu to calm down. But if he wants to exercise his human right he can visit the judiciary. The position has been a source of contention between Ude-Okoye and Samuel Anyanwu, with both laying claim to the role. The BoT held a meeting last Wednesday, and the trustees urged the National Working Committee to immediately swear in Ude-Okoye as the substantive National Secretary. He was approved based on the facts presented, I am completely on board. What do you expect the elders to do? There was no counter Court of Appeal ruling apart from the one recognizing Okoye, if Anyanwu chooses to challenge the ruling at the Supreme Court and secures a reversal, the party will abide by it. However, Anyanwu should let go of the tussle for the sake of party unity, the PDP must focus on its role as the leading opposition force. Despite everything said about PDP’s collapse, the party remains structurally sound compared to the ruling All Progressives Congress.PDP has the taproot of an Iroko tree that remains firmly grounded, the wind may shake its branches, but it won’t fall. We will resolve the issue.
Do you believe restructuring is the answer?
Yes, but not just any restructuring, a real, practical one. In the First Republic, major tribes held all the power while minorities were sidelined. That led to instability. The Alex Ekwueme group proposed a six-zone structure to ensure fair representation: Northwest, Northeast, North Central, Southwest, Southeast, and South-South. The top six positions, President, Vice President, Senate President, Speaker, Secretary to Government, and Party Chairman, were distributed among these zones. That system worked because it gave everyone a stake in governance. But that system has been ignored in recent years, and the consequences are clear. When one region hoards all the power, resentment builds. That was a fundamental mistake my party made. If Ekwueme, despite contesting twice, accepted defeat without causing chaos, why can’t others? The problem is self-centeredness.
If you had one message for today’s leaders, what would it be?
Nothing lasts forever. Power is temporary. Use your leadership to serve, not to loot. People are hungry and angry. A land of plenty should not have starving citizens. If we don’t change course, history will not be kind to us.
PDP is supposed to be a strong opposition to the ruling party but because the crises have deepened. How would your party rebuild itself ahead of the next election?
Our party should be in a position to give a good punch. Technical knockout punch. Either to wake the party up that you are not on your own. Or they are just driving home. Oh, aimlessly. I told people, there is no organization, even husband and wife, you will find quarrel. If you are not able to manage it, that’s a measure of your competence or incompetence in the public eye. And so the public are watching. APC, the party in government. Who is the national secretary of the APC? Who is the national organizing secretary of the APC? Who is the publicity secretary of APC? That’s the party in government. Where is the structure? It’s not a matter of you hate this or you don’t like this. No. Wake up. That’s all we can do. A major problem that the people have with them. The fact that they have a lot of members that are indiscipline. You know? So as it stands now, the BOT members, they are taking a decision. That’s a good move.
Are they ready to abide by that rule?
If you don’t go, we throw you out. Why are you afraid? It’s not something private. It’s not that I hate you or I don’t like your face. No. You have violated the rules and regulations that you sustain. The party is the eyes of the public. Our public image is being dented. And the public are the people who are going to vote us back to power.
English (US) ·