Former Deputy National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Chief Bode Goerge, on Tuesday, appealed to party members to be peaceful and united during the forthcoming party congress.
George made the plea at the Lagos State PDP General Assembly held at the party secretariat in GRA, Ikeja.
The meeting, attended by party chieftains and faithful, was organised to prepare for the forthcoming party congresses scheduled to commence on April 30.
It was also to prepare for the local government polls in the state.
George said the PDP remained a party to reckon with and urged the party members not to let it go down.
“Today, PDP has become an Iroko tree. This party must not go down. I want to beg you that even when we disagree, let us allow the people to decide in our congresses.
“Let’s avoid personal interest; let’s do away with imposition; only the competent people should be elected into positions. Please, go about the congresses peacefully, I am pleading.
“We have to be united since everybody cannot become a leader; everybody cannot become chairman. Only one person can do it.
“Let’s support whoever God has ordained to lead. PDP will win hands down if other contestants of any post support whoever emerges as winner,” he said.
The party chieftain said there was no division or faction in the party in the state.
Another chieftain of the party, Sen. Adeseye Ogunlewe, urged the leadership of the party to give room for the youths in the forthcoming ward, local and state congresses.
According to him, the older generation in the party should leave the party leadership for the youth in order to give hope and future to the party.
“We need youths to take over the leadership of the party at the ward, local, state and even national level; let’s give them a chance.
“The youths should do it, let the older people leave the youth alone; they are matured enough,” he said.
Ogunlewe, a former Minister of Works, urged party elders to avoid greed and support youths with good counsel in order to move the party forward.
He also advised the youth to shun all forms of violence during the congress.
On the party leadership tussle, Ogunlewe said that George remained a leader to beat in the party.
Earlier, the State Chairman of the Party, retired Capt. Tunji Shelle, said the meeting was to prepare party members for the forthcoming council polls in the state and the national convention of the party.
Shelle said; “We are fully prepared in Lagos State for the convention and we expect other states to follow suit. The state is preparing for the 2019 elections too.”
The chairman said that the party would field good candidates in all council elections.
