Former Deputy National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and Atona Oodua of Yorubaland, Chief Olabode Ibiyinka George, has been described as the only party leader in the South-West who can lay credible claim to the chairmanship of the party.
He has also been described as the only politician in the South-West who has the charisma, reach, deep knowledge, wide network and experience to lead the party to victory in 2019.
“If there is only one person who can face the leadership of the All Progressives Congress (APC) intellectually, it is Chief Bode George”.
These were the views of the Olabode Ibiyinka George Campaign Organisation, a body saddled with the responsibility of mobilising support for the ambition of the PDP chief for the national chairmanship of the party during the convention scheduled to hold in Port Harcourt, Rivers State.
The organisation declared these when a delegation, led by its chairman and former Transport Minister, Chief Ebenezer Babatope, the secretary, Prince Uthman Shodipe-Dosunmu and Chief Dare Adeleke, visited the African Newspapers of Nigeria Plc, publishers of the Tribune titles in Ibadan, Oyo State to mobilise support for George
“Chief Olabode George is experienced, having been the National Vice Chairman (South-West) of the party and later Deputy National Chairman of the party. Under his leadership, the PDP achieved electoral success in the South-West geopolitical zone and across the country,” Babatope said, noting that the team visited Tribune because “no matter what anyone says, Tribune has established itself as a successful and courageous institution and Chief George remains a staunch supporter of Papa Obafemi Awolowo and a lover of Tribune. He believes in Tribune and the Awolowo family. We know that you are not politicians; we are and we need your support”.
Shodipe-Dosunmu added that Nigeria could only have an effective democracy if there was a counter-balancing effect, which he said is non-existent in Nigeria today, calling on the media to develop democracy by rising above the fray to allow for plurality of voices and give vibes to opposition’s voice.
He said: ‘‘Chief Olabode George is in this race not because of personal interest but for the collective interest of Nigerians. Nigeria is in trouble right now, so anyone who will become PDP national chairman must be someone who can act effectively as an alternative president.’’
Responding, the Editor, Nigerian Tribune, Mr Debo Abdulai, who spoke on behalf of the Managing Director/Editor-in-Chief, Mr Edward Dickson, welcomed the team on behalf of the management, lauding George’s love for Tribune.
He promised that the company would give adequate support to George’s aspiration, whom he described as a friend of the house, noting, however, that such support would be “within the ambit of what media ethics and professionalism allow, because Tribune was founded by Chief Obafemi Awolowo on a sound philosophy of fairness, justice and truth.’’
