A chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party, Chief Bode George, has said that the presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress, Bola Tinubu, is not an indigene of Lagos State.
George spoke on Tuesday morning on Arise TV’s Morning Show, where he discussed the candidacy of Tinubu as well as the internal crisis within the PDP.
According to him, the APC candidate has yet to prove his Lagos roots beyond a reasonable doubt, having failed to produce any evidence to support his claim.
He said, “Tinubu is not from Lagos State. You can quote me. If he says he grew up in Isale-Eko, which school did you attend? I grew up on Evans Street in Lagos. 35 Evans Street was my grandfather’s house. I went to the community school. I played football at the local stadium at Isale-Eko. That’s how people knew me.”
Asked if the opposition party would be able to resolve its internal crisis before heading to next year’s polls, George said the reconciliation would only happen if the party’s hierarchy “gives unto Caesar what belongs to Caesar.”
He further stated that since the formation of the party almost 25 years ago, the North-Central, which currently holds the position of the national chairman, had predominantly occupied the position of the party’s leadership.
He added, “It is not a solution that cannot be handled. All we are saying is give what belongs to Caesar what belongs to Caesar. Give us what belongs to us. Turn by Turn Nigeria Limited. Take for example, what I am angry about is this, the first chairman was late Papa Solomon from North-Central. The second chairman, North-Central. The third chairman, Audu Ogbe, North-Central. The fourth chairman, my oga, Dr Amadu Ali, North-Central; Baraje, from Kwara, was also North-Central. Now you have Ayu, also North-Central.
“The South-West has never enjoyed this position since the party started almost 25 years ago. What is our crime? If you are telling us you want to rule this country, you have to weave all the tribes and all the people together. That is the major problem, and unless that is resolved, I will not vote for our own candidate.”
The PUNCH