Wike: Bode George still angry over failed PDP chairmanship bid — I have no regret stopping him
Nyesom Wike, minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), says he has no regret blocking Bode George, former deputy national chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), from becoming the party’s national chairman.
In a statement on Saturday by Lere Olayinka, his senior special assistant on public communications and social media, Wike said George’s continued criticism of him is driven by his failure to secure the party’s national chairmanship.
The minister said George’s frustration had been compounded by the emergence of Deji Doherty as the PDP chairman in Lagos state.
“He wanted to be PDP national chairman and was carrying on like the position was his birthright. We stopped him because it was the turn of the south-south. Since then, he has not stopped being angry,” Wike said.
The minister recalled that, as governor of Rivers state, he visited George’s residence in Maitama, Abuja, after the PDP’s national convention in an attempt to appease him.
He said George’s wife attempted to walk him out of the house but was stopped by Olusegun Mimiko, former governor of Ondo state.
Wike described George as a failed politician, alleging that despite his experience and influence, he had failed to deliver electoral victories for the PDP in Lagos State since 1999.
“We have managed him even though we know that he has no value. But as it is, since he wants to keep dancing naked in the marketplace of politics, we can’t but allow him,” he said.
The FCT minister said leadership of a political party should be determined by a person’s ability to contribute to winning elections rather than by name, title or status as a founding member.
“Leadership of a political party is not by name, title or being a founding father. Rather, it is about what you are able to bring to the table in terms of winning elections, and in this regard, Bode George is a complete disaster,” he said.
Wike cited electoral results from George’s former polling unit in Ward E2, Evans Street, Lagos Island, to support his claim.
He said the All Progressives Congress (APC) secured 84 votes against the PDP’s 40 in the 2019 presidential election at the polling unit.
According to Wike, George transferred his voter’s card to Eti-Osa ahead of the 2023 elections, where the PDP secured four votes at his new polling unit.
Wike added that George’s continued media appearances suggested that he had little else to occupy his time.
“Since it appeared that he is not busy, he will continue to make his likes busy by creating reason for them to jump from one television station to the other,” he said.
