• Cleric urges caution over 2015 elections
FORMER Deputy National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Chief Olabode George, has said the uncertainty surrounding whether President Goodluck Jonathan would run or not in the 2015 presidential election will be addressed soon.
He also affirmed that the PDP is the only party with the requisite experience and ability to steer the affairs of Nigeria successfully.
George, while speaking shortly after arriving from the United Kingdom on Saturday night, described other parties as nothing but tribal associations of people seeking powers at all cost for no purposeful end.
According to him, “I believe that with our wealth of experience, our knowledge of this country, especially as PDP is the only political party in the country that carries all the emblems, all the colours of this country from the swampy forest to the savanna region in the North.
“All these other ones are tribal parties that are suddenly coming together to fight for power. They haven’t even decided, all they want is to drive Jonathan out of the place. Is that what Nigerians are looking for,” he asked?
Speaking on his recent acquittal by the Supreme Court over allegation of contract splitting, George, former chairman of Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), described it as a vindication of his position all along that he committed no offence.”
While he said that he had forgiven his traducers as judgment belonged to God, he called on them to seek forgiveness from God.
Meanwhile, the Methodist Archbishop of Abuja, Most Rev. Job Oche, has warned politicians to tread cautiously, even as he said only God knows what to do with 2015.
Speaking yesterday in Abuja at the church service to commemorate the 2014 Armed Forces Remembrance Day celebration, he said: “If you need our votes, don’t create tension, because if this trend continues, Nigerians will be afraid to come out and cast their votes. What we need is to commit 2015 in the hands of God who gives power to whomever He wills”.
George asked human rights lawyer, Mr. Femi Falana, whom he alleged was part of the conspiracy to jail him, to shut up.
Falana had allegedly faulted the Supreme Court on its position on George, arguing that the PDP chieftain was not only charged for contract splitting but also abuse of office.
He, however, urged his detractors to remain silent.
On President Jonathan’s 2015 presidential ambition, George averred that the dissenting voices concerning the President’s ambition would be sorted out when the PDP elders meet and the argument for and against would be done in a room.
George, who spoke in the presence of party chieftains, which include Lagos State chairman of the PDP, Captain Tunji Shelle and other members of the executive like Mr. Dare Adeleke, among others, said he was happy that the President was on top of the situation to ensure that all the crises rocking the party were resolved.
He particularly expressed optimism that a series of meetings scheduled by the leadership for this week, including the caucus and Board of Trustees (BoT), would create an avenue for people to rub minds in order to chart the way forward ahead of 2015.
According to George, who said he felt delighted he would be part of the meeting scheduled to hold at a time he arrived in the country, “those of us who had had the rare opportunity to manage the party at various levels would share our experiences.
Others, who were on hand to receive Chief George at the airport included Senator Adeseye Ogunlewe, Prince Remi Akitoye, Mrs. Aduke Maina (BoT), Senator Teslim Folarin, Prince Adeyeye, former Governor Ayodele Fayose to mention a few.
The Methodist cleric urged Nigerians to do their best to keep Nigeria one by preaching love instead of hate, encourage religious harmony, peaceful co-existence, stressing that God allowed the various tribes and religions to exist in the country to serve as a build up to the nation.
Oche, who stressed the need for government to reduce the unemployment rate in the country and fight corruption, advised politicians to stop recruiting thugs and hired assassins to eliminate those who oppose them.
In attendance at the service were Senate President David Mark; Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Emeka Ihedioha; Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Anyim Pius Anyim; Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Chief Tony Anenih; service chiefs, members of the diplomatic corps and cabinet ministers, among others.
Source: Guardian
