Former Vice President, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar has lashed out at Chief Bode George, a retired Naval Officer and one time military Governor of Ondo for the latter’s ‘unprovoked’ attack on the former vice-president, calling George a disservice and source of shame to the military, George’s primary profession.
In a riposte issued yesterday (Saturday, August 24) in Abuja, the FCT, by his media adviser, Mr. Paul Ibe, Atiku excoriated George for saying that Nigeria would have faced turmoil if Atiku had won the 2023 presidential election, describing Chief George, who is also a member of the PDP Board of Trustees, as a “source of shame for the armed forces.”
Daily Query reports that George had asserted on Friday on Arise TV that “If Atiku had won — I would have stayed in my house because I knew that for real, in the future, he would collapse. This country would never accept.
“If he had won that election, you think this country would have been stable? Because somebody from the North (Buhari) had just finished eight years and our own norm is that after the eight years, the presidential candidate must come to the South.”
But in the riposte to George’s claim, Atiku countered that his presidency would have heralded prosperity because he would have opted to work with competent persons, unlike what is happening now.
Describing Bode George’s conduct as not only a disservice to the military, but also a source of shame for the armed forces, Atiku wondered why Bode George “who once threatened exile should Tinubu ascend to power,” is “now oddly silent about the present administration.”
“Contrary to Chief Bode George’s imprudent talk, an @atiku presidency would have heralded an era of prosperity, driven by a cabinet brimming with seasoned and adept individuals, chosen solely on merit regardless of their background or beliefs,” the statement read, in part.
“Such leadership would have safeguarded Nigeria’s interests, steering clear of the bigotry and nepotism and brigandage that characterizes this administration. Instead of the current state of disarray, driven by haphazard policies, Nigeria would have thrived under Atiku’s guidance.
“In contrast, we see Bode George, who once threatened exile, should Tinubu ascend to power, now oddly silent about the present administration. Is Bode’s reticence because Atiku is not from his region? It is prudent to consider Bode’s opinions with caution.
“Furthermore, Bode’s conduct is a disservice to the military, an institution esteemed for its unity. Here is a Commodore who, paradoxically, embraces tribalism and undermines the very principles of the military. It is a source of shame for the armed forces to have such a figure in their ranks.”
Speaking on the crisis in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in an Arise TV interview (The Morning Show) at the weekend (Friday, August 23), George had said: “What am I looking for? Let us stand by the truth because it is only the truth that would liberate you. When we had that election, we divided the party (PDP) into two.
“If Atiku had won, I would have stayed in my house because I know for real (that) in future he would collapse. This country would never accept.
“If he had won that election you think this country would have been stable? Because somebody from the north had just finished eight years and our own norm is that after the eight years, the presidential candidate must come to the south. Those who are running around for appointments (we wish them) best of luck.”
According to George, the tilt of the party towards the north in the last election was fundamental to the problems in the party, mentioning the emergence of Atiku as the presidential candidate as responsible for “completely disorganising the party.”
He said by the time the former national chairman of the party, Iyorchia Ayu left, it was too late to solve the problems, saying he (Ayu) reneged on the agreement to resign as chairman should the presidential candidate emerge from the north.
“By the time Ayu left, he should have left long before the election. There was an agreement. It was the emergence of Atiku from the north as a presidential candidate that completely disorganised the norm of the party.
“The moment we interfered with it, manipulating the whole process to satisfy Atiku, that’s where the problem started. For us to pretend as if there was not a problem, we are just wasting time,” he said.
George who said there were about three divisions in the party, said the opposition had lost its voice to challenge what he called the “nuisances and nuances going on in this country by the people in government.”
“We’ve got some deeper problems in the party. The party is almost divided now into three major sections and it’s not working,” he said.
George said he won’t serve as a member of the Disciplinary Committee formed by the party to probe errant members who worked against the party in the last general elections.
The PDP had on Wednesday, August 21, inaugurated the Reconciliation Committee chaired by former Osun State Governor Chief Olagunsoye Oyinlola, and the Disciplinary Committee, led by High Chief Tom Ikimi, as part of effort to address the ongoing crisis in the former national ruling party.
George a member of the PDP’s Board of Trustees said the party by the composition of the committee jumped the gun in the hierarchy, faulting his nomination as a member of the disciplinary committee to serve under Ikimi who, he said, joined the party later than he did.
George who said there were party stakeholders who worked against the party in the last election based on the situation in various states, wondered whom the disciplinary committee was inaugurated to try.
He said rather than constitute committees, issues that informed the crisis in the party should be resolved.
“And I said to them I can’t serve under him (Ikimi), because when did he join the party? We know within ourselves the various groupings that are dividing the party, that’s what the party should sit down first and resolve.
“I know Tom very well, he met me in this party. The founding fathers handed over to us. So, the culture of the party, the do’s and don’ts are with us. So you don’t make me be a member under somebody that I know in terms of hierarchy of the party, and say I should go and serve under him. I made that observation to them. And they said are you going to come, I said no I’m not.
“I will not serve under Ikimi. I’m being very frank with myself. How much information or depth does he have concerning our party? You don’t do things like that. It’s an observation and I’ve told the Chairman. At this age, I’m ready to stay home.”
