14th October, 2011
The alleged nomination of Mrs. Roli Bode George, wife of the former Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, National Vice Chairman, South, Chief Olabode George, as a federal commissioner, representing Lagos State, southwest Nigeria, in the National Population Commission, NPC, has further aggravated the crisis rocking the leadership of the party in the state.
An aggrieved faction of the party in the state led by the former Minister for Works, Senator Adeseye Ogunlewe, petition President Goodluck Jonathan and the Senate President, David Mark, stating that Mrs. George was not from the state but from Delta State.
They asked the presidency to stop the nomination, adding that going ahead with it would amount to injustice, which is capable of causing disaffection among members of the party in the state.
The alleged petition was jointly signed by the chairman of the Elders Council of the party, Dr. Abiona Finnih, former Minister of Works, Senator Adeseye Ogunlewe, former state chairman of the party, Alhaji Muritala Ashorobi, former Lagos State deputy governor, Chief Kofoworola Bucknor-Akerele, Chief Jide Damazio, Tokunboh Kamson and Mrs. Modupe Sasore.
In a swift reaction to the petition, the State Publicity Secretary of the party, Comrade Taofeek Gani, said, “The Executive Committee of the Lagos State PDP has recently observed another calculated attempt by few persons who masquerade as our Members but who have indeed long been suspected as Agents for the opposition Parties.
“They are so misconceived and deliberately ill-timed to bring disaffection within the party and thereby cause distraction especially when the party is contesting in an election. This time around, their action is suspected to distract the party from concentrating on its preparation for the local government election.
“Their modus operandi is also to blow hot and cold on issues, particularly as they are aware that patronage for the actual labourers of the party are beginning to come. These few persons recently protested the nomination of Hon. Roli George for a federal appointment, raising several allegations, one of which is that the said nominee is not a Lagosian. For the sake of clarity, the appointment is not tied to indigeneship,†he averred.
He added that Mrs. George is more or less a Lagosian having been born and bred in Lagos State, married to a Lagosian and indeed a staunch supporter of the party in the state since 1998.
He described her as a rallying point for PDP Women in the state, adding,”To expose the impotency of their allegation, these same persons selfishly and diabolical supported a recent appointment even against the provisions of the constitution requiring an indigene for the said Office.
The state chairman of the party, Hon. Setonji Koshoedo, said: “We indeed have no doubt that this malicious protest is not aimed at the nominee but indeed a transferred malice borne out of personal vendetta against another leader that is more committed and has remained a threat to these half- cast PDP members.