A former Deputy National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, Bode George, has said he can never leave the party for any other one, no matter the challenges in the party.
The chieftain of the major opposition party spoke in an interview he granted the News Agency of Nigeria on Sunday in Lagos State.
NAN sought his reaction to the leadership crisis in the party and how some old members have left the party, citing internal wrangling.
George said the present problems in the party would be resolved and that the party would get stronger .
He said he strongly believed in the ideology of the party, adding that no other political party had the strong principles as PDP or practised strong internal democracy like the party.
He said: “I can’t leave PDP.
“I can’t.
“Look, every other party is like a miniatured congregation of strange bed fellows.
“They do not have the principles that we have in the our party.
“So why would I leave reality for others?
“I would rather go home because I believe so much in the principles of the party
“A rolling stone gathers no moss.
“If we have crisis in the party, we will stay there and resolve it.
“We are going nowhere.”
The former Military Governor of Ondo State said those leaving the PDP over challenges in the party were not committed to it in the first place.
George said some of the heavyweights who left the party had since realised that the PDP was the only party practising true internal democracy.
He said the failure of late Chief Alex Ekwueme, a foundation member, to get the party’s presidential ticket on two attempts meant PDP was not built around individuals.
Speaking on whether the party missed defected chieftains like Peter Obi and Senator Rabiu Kwankwaso, presidential candidates of the Labour Party and New Nigeria People’s Party respectively in the 2023 polls, George said it did not miss anyone.
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He said what had been missing were the selflessness, dedication and progressive politics of the founding fathers.
The PDP chieftain said that individual interests should be subsumed under the interest of the party for the PDP to rise above its challenges.
George stressed the importance of unity, and legacy-building in political leadership, citing the “exemplary conduct” of Ekwueme.
According to him, Ekwueme contested with former President Olusegun Obasanjo and he declared he lost.
Lauding Ekwueme’s steadfast commitment to democratic principles and party unity, George said: “He never, at any time, raised his hands to demonise or destroy the party.”
George said Ekwueme was selfless and made sacrifices for the good of the party.
He said consensus-building, dialogue, and discipline were key to the stability of the party.
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