A prominent Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Chieftain, Otunba Segun Adewale (Aeroland) has faulted the claims making the rounds, that Chief Bode George stage-managed the disruption of the Party’s state congress on Saturday, as baseless and unfounded.
The PDP Southwest zone official, who was also an eyewitness of all that transpired at the Tafawa Balewa Square (TBS) venue of the party’s congress, Adewale stated unequivocally that it was neither logical nor reasonable for Chief Bode George, who bankrolled the whole process to disrupt it prior to its commencement.
According to Adewale, who stated his resolve to ensure peace in the party owing to the directives of Governor Seyi Makinde, that stakeholders unanimously churn out a unity list, to herald an unprecedented peaceful process in PDP Lagos, declared that, “it was not Chief Bode George that scattered our Congress”.
“If the Congress went the right way, he could have won that election easily so why would he disrupt the process, he bankrolled and also feed all participants?
“Why will someone, who has done all that still want to destroy the process?
“We only had security breaches at the location, the accreditation was done and only the accredited were allowed access initially.
“The capacity of the venue in line with COVID protocol could accommodate 2000 delegates, but along the line the available security measure was compromised and none delegates that gain access later bloated the figure way beyond 3000.
“At that point eligible delegates were enraged about the turn of event and could no longer hide it, coupled with a gunshot by an unknown fellow, who was later apprehended by the security officers assigned to secure the place, who are already investigating to know who sent him.”
Adewale also hinted that he spoke with Chief Bode George on the need to toe unity list path, but he made known his reason for supporting Dr. Fawole a former LG Chairman in Surulere as PDP state Chairman against all other contenders like Dr. Tokunbo Pearse, Mr. Phillip Aivoji and Mr. Adams.
Chief Bode George was said to have preferred Dr. Fawole above all others even one supported by Dr. Ogunkelu on account of political maturity, being a well rounded individual, whom aside being a Medical Doctor with a reputable hospital he personally established also has a legal chamber doing so well in Surulere.
In his view such cannot be swayed by pecuniary gains and will help stabilise the party.
He however, objected the candidature of Adams from Lagos Island, due to the fact that he had never being consistent nor committed to the course of the party.
He was once made the party’s youth leader but within the span of four years he was meant to serve, he was slightly visible for two years, after which he allegedly bolted overseas and was not even active in things of the party until when he showed up to contest for the chairmanship seat.
Mr. Aivoji one of the aspirants for the chairmanship seat, in a chat with National Daily opined that it is clear to all delegates that he was likely to have the day, as he got everything ready to ensure that and some people were not comfortable with that, the atmosphere later changed due to the perception, so he claimed.
“The venue was quite porose and one would have preferred a conducive and less porose area, more so when people were still preparing to cast their vote, the situation went awry everybody knows where it came from, we must pre-empt this kind of thing”.
“Maybe the National Working Committee can choose somewhere in Ikeja with better space and security for all the delegates and reorganise the process there.”
Another aspirant Dr. Tokunbo Pearse when stating his views about the disruption, placed the fault at the doorstep of Chief Bode George.
Dr. Pearse said that the disruption was immediately after BG approached Senator Abiodun Olujimi, who was at the TBS ground distributing the ballot papers to delegates.
“Bode George asked that the process be postponed having seen that it is not likely to favour Dr. Fawole whom he supported not minding the fact that people did not really know him.
“Nobody knew Dr. Fawole out of the twelve Chairmen in Surulere, nine already settled for me, I campaigned vigorously as far as Epe and Badagry before the congress, Fawole was never an active member.“