By: Bayero Ade
Chief Olabode George, former Deputy National Chairman of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), has strongly condemned the disruption of the party’s 79th Board of Trustees (BoT) meeting, describing the act as “despicable, horrific, inhuman, wicked, and unprecedented.”
According Politics Nigeria, speaking with reporters in Lagos on Friday, George expressed his disbelief over the use of thugs to invade the PDP’s national secretariat in Abuja, which led to the abrupt abandonment of the meeting.
As a lifelong member of the BoT, George stated that the perpetrators of the violence should not be tolerated. He warned that the PDP should not be turned into a party controlled by members with selfish agendas, comparing it to an ‘Agbero’ (thug-run) organization.
He lamented that the incident reflected a deeper issue of disloyalty within the party and criticized the involvement of certain individuals in this disgraceful act.
“It is sacrilegious for thugs to be brought in to disrupt a critical meeting like the 79th BoT gathering,” George said. “If this can happen, what are we to expect during National Working Committee (NWC) or National Executive Committee (NEC) meetings?”
He expressed concern that the PDP, a party founded on principles of civility, humility, and the rule of law since 1998, is now being undermined by those driven by personal ambitions rather than the party’s collective interest.
George called on the party leadership to address the growing divisions within its ranks, urging for a peace meeting to resolve the ongoing factional conflicts. He insisted that any member unwilling to contribute to the party’s unity should be expelled.
“As Africa’s largest party, the PDP should not be turned into an ‘Agbero’ party by anyone with selfish desires. We have established rules and regulations that govern our actions,” he stated.
His remarks followed the violent disruption of the BoT meeting on Wednesday, during which thugs scaled the walls of the party secretariat and attacked officials. Security forces were eventually deployed to restore order, but George expressed regret over the national embarrassment the incident caused.
“Can you imagine party officers being physically dragged out by thugs? It’s a desecration of our office,” he said. “Nigerians watched in horror as thugs, allegedly sponsored by certain party leaders, scaled the walls of our national secretariat. This is a national shame.”
George emphasized that the party leadership must show strong action by sanctioning those responsible for the disruption, urging them to take decisive steps to protect the integrity of the PDP.
“If we are serious as a party, this is the time for the leadership to bring together the two opposing factions for a peace meeting. If they are unwilling to embrace peace, they should step aside and allow the party to move beyond this turmoil,” he concluded.
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