Sheriff as PDP chair is a bad omen — Bode George

Chief Bode George, speaks with TOLUWANI ENIOLA on the Court of Appeal judgment which recognised Ali Modu Sheriff as the authentic chairman of the party, and how to resolve the party’s crisis

How do you feel about the Court of Appeal judgment restoring Ali Modu Sheriff as the authentic chairman of the PDP?

I am shocked by the judgment of the appellate court which set aside our convention. It (the judgment) does not portend hope for democratic practice. Makarfi was duly elected as the caretaker committee chairman. Sheriff became the national chairman of the party after his predecessor, Adamu Mu’azu. The moment he convened a convention, he ceased to be the chairman. So, Sheriff has ceased to be the chairman by the virtue of that arrangement. This is the problem. I told him privately and publicly to step down. As far as I am concerned, handing back the leadership of the party to Sheriff is a step backwards from repositioning the PDP. The judgment reminds me of the decimation of the old Action Group and that does not portend a good omen for democracy.

What are the implications of this recent judgment?

The implication is that they have decimated the voice of Jacob and the hand of Esau. If that is the way they want to decimate the opposition, I wish Nigeria the very best. The country needs a vibrant opposition. I can tell you that these people (the Sheriff faction) do not have the capacity to do a proper opposition job. What opposition job can Sheriff perform?

We believe that we held a proper convention and whatever decisions were taken are sacrosanct. Entrusting the leadership of the party to Sheriff, who has yet to learn the ropes, understand the terrain, the culture and customs of the party, is a dark day for democracy in Nigeria.

This judgment is a decimation of the opposition in Nigeria. We must allow the opposition to thrive as long as they act within the law. We are drifting to a one-party state and this is dangerous. We were in government for 16 years but never decimated any opposition party. It is worrisome.

Are you saying the All Progressives Congress and the Federal Government are behind this judgment?

I don’t have proof but I just said to you that it is the voice of Jacob and the hand of Esau. That says it all.

Sheriff’s deputy, Dr. Cairoh Ojougboh , stated that there was an agreement by both factions to abide by the court judgment.

I don’t know where they (the factions) made such an agreement. I am a member of the party’s board of trustees. That agreement has never been discussed publicly and I have never been told. When the leaders of the party said there should be reconciliation, it was Sheriff that pulled out. So, where did Ojougboh get his agreement talks from? I don’t know where Makarfi made such a commitment. I don’t believe that story. It is not true.

What is the PDP BoT going to do?

I was told that the spokesperson for the national caretaker committee had declared they would challenge the judgment at the Supreme Court. I support that. The news just broke, so we will wait and see.  They will have to call an emergency meeting and we will take decisions from there.

Six PDP lawmakers in the Lagos State House of Assembly defected to the APC on Thursday. How did you feel about the news?

I don’t know what got into their heads. A rolling stone gathers no moss. Their constituency should caution them. They campaigned on the platform of the party and won. They didn’t go to the House of Assembly as an individual and they defected without consulting the party managers. It is unacceptable. We will see where they will be in time. It is disappointing.

These defectors are impatient and that is why they hop from ship to ship. I wish them the best of luck. They were part and parcel of us. We gave them the tickets to achieve their political ambitions. They benefited tremendously from the party but I don’t know why they are just jumping ship like we say in the navy. When your house is leaking, you stay there and repair it. Is the APC also stable? That is what they should think.

One of the recent defectors, a former Senate President, Ken Nnamani, is my friend. We all can’t get angry and start moving to another party. Wherever you go, you would still have to deal with the same set of human beings. They should have stayed back to correct the problems in the PDP, not rolling and frolicking with any government in power.

In our party, we are trying to correct so many things. You do not throw a porcelain vase away until it is broken beyond repair. We must do the needful. I joined this party since 1998. We saw it grow in the South-West. With these interlopers, hopping in and out, they are being opportunistic and bloody traitors. The founding fathers have certain principles which we must uphold. I have determined that I will remain in the party. All these interlopers that are jumping from here to there must be told the truth.

Are you still interested in becoming the PDP national chairman?

It is not a do-or-die affair. At the meeting held for the South-West zone the last time, they said Bode George should be their nominee for the national chairmanship, and then, a ragamuffin went over to some other zone, trying to over-promote himself. The fellow has yet to cut his political teeth, even in this state. It is shameless and irresponsible. If the caucus insists they want me, why not? 

This is the time the party requires a steady hand, a solid, responsible, experienced hand to manage the party. We are the opposition. You don’t bring a bambino to come and head the party. Do they know who we are confronting as a party? John Odigie-Oyegun is the APC national chairman, Buhari is a retired general, how do we defeat them? Then you bring one boy to come and do what? If we don’t do what is just and fair, we will go under.

What can be done to reconcile aggrieved persons in the party?

I can only talk of my zone. Dr. Olusegun Mimiko was the chairman of the PDP governors’ forum. He did his best but he was undermined and so we lost the Ondo election. If we had Olusola Oke’s result figures added to ours (PDP), we would have beaten Rotimi Akeredolu. Now, Fayose has succeeded Mimiko, which makes him very important in the South-West. But we don’t serve the moment; he must ensure that he gets everybody back together without antagonising any of the leaders and elders in the party. 

There are some of us who are permanent members of the PDP Board of Trustees, which means that we have attained a certain status. We are making moves to close ranks.  Lagos State alone has 6.5 million registered voters. That is the biggest in this country. We can’t toy around with that kind of number.  We will have a zonal conference where we will put out our demands as a zone. I am sure sanity will reign.

What’s your thought on the emergence of a mega party?

I wish them the best of luck. It is not by moving from party to party that we can get a solution. We should ask: are these defectors changing their attitudes? We can only wish them the best of luck. To form a party that will become formidable is not easy. Do you know how long it took the PDP? By 2018, we would be 20 years old. There are certain things that gave us that deep taproot? Have they got it?  Is this not personal interest at work? The interest of this country must be the most important. You can form a party that is mega, but we must be loyal to the system and not to an individual.

Do you think President Muhammadu Buhari has failed?

People are hungry, angry and disenchanted. You don’t need super economics. All these theories from the ministry of finance are not working. Where will they get the money to finance the budget? Can you imagine Bayelsa, Delta owing salaries? Let’s face governance and forget about politics.

I have been away from the country. That book of Amos which speaks on justice is what we need. Nigeria didn’t start today. Herdsmen killings call for concern. Why is this issue taking the front burner in our national affairs? What were we doing before? Is it because Buhari is a Fulani man? There are serious issues more demanding such as education, employment, heath. These are the basic things we need to focus on. Is this the first time we had herdsmen in this country?

Go around this country from Sokoto to Calabar, from Borno to Lagos and to Jigawa, who is happy about this government? We have very compelling issues. We were allocated 2.2 million barrels a day but we are producing less than 800 barrels a day. So, this means money is not coming into the treasury that can be redistributed. Government must dialogue with the South-South so we end the problem of bombing in the region which has affected our oil production. If there is no money, it will be difficult to manage the country. We don’t need to be rocket scientists to know that is the greatest problem confronting this country today. All other industries are affected because there is no money.

Are you saying the PDP has the solution?

We will stabilise ourself for the battle in 2019.We do have a super-solution. By 2018, campaigns will start. We must address our problems and remedy our problems for the battle ahead. This is not the time for politics yet. By the last quarter of this year, politics would begin. The most critical thing for Buhari to do is to get funding. Now, the income has declined because of agitations and bombing of oil facilities in the South-South. 

We must come to a roundtable and dialogue. I am also a retired military man. Let us dialogue to discuss with the people who are dissatisfied and ask what they really want. Buhari has avoided that now for over one and a half years and this is affecting the country. Crude oil is above $50 per barrel, imagine the result of multiplying 2.2 million barrels of crude oil by, say $53 on a 24-hour  basis?  That will be what is coming to the coffers. We will have money. That should be his utmost priority. Call these boys (militants) for a dialogue. All those whose scholarships were stopped should be given back their opportunities. I am advising him because there is poverty in the land.