Lagos PDP recommends suspension of Bode George

The Peoples Democratic Party in Lagos State has recommended the suspension of party leader Olabode George over his alleged anti-party stance for 20 years.

Bode George, a member of the Board of Trustees of the party’s National Working Committee, was voted against for deliberately fomenting discontent within the party, which led to the party’s loss of power in Lagos State.

A PDP chieftain and former chairman of the party in the state, Otunba Segun Adewale, has also reiterated his membership and loyalty to the party.

Adewale, popularly known as Aeroland, stated this in a statement he signed and sent to PUNCH Online in Lagos on Tuesday.

Reacting to his alleged suspension from the PDP, he stated that he had never been suspended by any party leader, adding that the rumours of his suspension were spread by troublemakers.

He described the recent attempt to suspend him by the Alimosho branch of the party as a diversionary tactic by PDP-BoT member Chief Olabode George to prevent further investigation into how he (Bode George) allegedly squandered the party’s political assets over the years.

According to Adewale, a general meeting of the Alimosho PDP was held on June 15, 2024, chaired by the incumbent Chairman, Mrs. Esther Adeyemi, to discuss recent events in the party.

Speaking at a meeting of the Alimosho PDP, Adeyemi said: “There is no crisis in the Alimosho PDP and Otunba Segun Adewale (Aeroland) has no problem with anyone except those who are conspiring with those who worked against the party in the last election.”

“The attempt by party leader Olabode George to provoke a crisis in the party by using confidants of Segun Adewale to attack him is highly reprehensible.

“Chairman Olabode George has caused serious damage to the reputation and efforts of the party and well-meaning party members through his anti-party activities spanning over two decades,” the party said.

The party, however, noted that the alleged suspension of Segun Adewale on the instructions of Bode George by some excos in Alimosho was illegal.

“The suspension of a party member can only be done at the district level; the suspended executive members have no authority to suspend any party member as they are technically not party members during the suspension.”

The PDP members expressed their lack of confidence in the leadership of Olabode George and expressed their no confidence in him. The meeting also moved that the party should suspend Olabode George for his anti-party activities which have caused irreparable damage to the party in the past.

The statement further said: “The alleged suspension of Segun Adewale on the instructions of Bode George by some executive committee members in Alimosho is illegal for the following reasons: 1. Suspension of a party member can only be done at the district level. 2. The suspended executive committee members have no power to suspend any party member because they are technically not party members during their suspension.

“The members of the assembly have lost confidence in the leadership of Chief Olabode George and have therefore passed a motion of no confidence in him. The assembly has moved that the party should suspend Chief Olabode George for his anti-party activities, as he has inflicted irreparable damage to the fortunes of the party in the past.

“The House unanimously passed a vote of no confidence in Chief Olabode George and forwarded the motion to the party to suspend him. The Assembly observed that despite the party’s pending court case to suspend him for his anti-party activities, the resolution was a genuine ground for his immediate suspension.”

The meeting was attended by district chairpersons, LG executive directors and senior party leaders in the state.

Adewale said if these politicians did not change their ways, it would be difficult for the PDP to defeat the ruling APC in the state.

“The way the leadership of the Lagos PDP embezzles election funds every election year will not allow the party to win the elections in the state. This happens every election year.”

“This happens every four years. The figure was higher in the 2023 parliamentary elections.”

“Of all the money made available to the Lagos PDP for the conduct of the 2023 elections, less than 50 percent reached the state and the party soldiers,” he said.