…Says era of self-appointed power brokers is over

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has launched a scathing attack on one of its former chieftains, Chief Bode George, over his recently criticism.

It accused George of attempting to undermine the party’s current leadership and insisting that the era when a few influential figures determined the party’s direction had come to an end.

In a statement issued on Thursday by its National Publicity Secretary, Hon. Jungudo Haruna Mohammed, the party described George’s television interview as “the outburst of a man struggling to come to terms with reality,” maintaining that the PDP had moved beyond what it called the era of “self-appointed power brokers.”

The party said George’s remarks reflected frustration over the emergence of a new leadership committed to internal democracy, transparency and generational renewal.

According to the PDP, George’s appearance on television was characterised by anger, resentment and personal attacks rather than constructive contributions to national and party issues.

The statement noted that a politician of George’s age and experience ought to have demonstrated restraint and statesmanship, arguing instead that his comments fell short of the standards expected of an elder statesman.

It said: “What Nigerians witnessed from his interview was the outburst of a man struggling to come to terms with the reality that the PDP has moved beyond the era when a handful of self-appointed power brokers dictated the destiny of the party for their personal convenience.”

The party also defended its National Chairman, Abdulrahman Mohammed, saying he had provided inclusive and transparent leadership despite inheriting political and legal challenges.

It credited the current leadership with conducting what it described as one of the smoothest primary election processes in the party’s recent history, adding that the exercise created opportunities for thousands of members seeking elective offices ahead of the 2027 general elections.

The PDP dismissed George’s criticism of the leadership as an attempt to discredit efforts aimed at repositioning the opposition party.

On the lingering legal disputes within the party, the PDP maintained that the courts had already settled the issues surrounding its leadership.

It argued that judgments delivered by the trial courts, the Court of Appeal and the Supreme Court remained valid and binding, stressing that the recognition accorded to Abdulrahman Mohammed and National Secretary, Senator Samuel Anyanwu, by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) flowed from compliance with extant court decisions.

The party maintained that while George and others remained free to pursue any lawful legal remedies, they could not reverse existing judicial pronouncements through media appearances.

“The facts remain sacred, and no amount of rhetoric can alter the settled legal position,” the statement said.

The PDP further accused George of resisting generational renewal within the party, insisting that every enduring political institution must provide opportunities for younger leaders to emerge instead of allowing a few individuals to dominate its affairs indefinitely.

It also questioned George’s political record in Lagos State, claiming he had spent over two decades in the PDP without delivering electoral success for the party in the state.

According to the statement, George remained in the party until he was eventually expelled for misconduct, a decision it claimed he acknowledged during the television interview.

The party further criticised George over his widely publicised pledge to relocate to Ghana if President Bola Tinubu won the 2023 presidential election, noting that despite repeatedly making the declaration before and after the election, he never fulfilled it.
The statement argued that such inconsistencies weakened the credibility of his current criticisms of the PDP leadership and national issues.

It also reminded George of what it described as a subsisting court order awarding costs of ₦10 million against him and his co-plaintiffs in what it characterised as a frivolous and vexatious lawsuit, insisting that compliance with the order remained a legal obligation.

Reaffirming its commitment to internal discipline, the PDP stressed that sanctions or expulsions could only be reviewed through the constitutional processes of the party and not through media campaigns or public criticism.

The party declared that it would continue to defend the integrity of its decisions, the authority of its duly constituted organs and the rule of law while focusing on preparations for the 2027 general elections.

“History is moving forward. The PDP is moving forward. Those unwilling to embrace that reality are free to remain behind,” the statement concluded.