BY DAPO AKINREFON
CHIEF Olabode Ibikunle George, is a chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in Lagos State. During the rescheduled National Assembly elections held last week, Chief George bared his mind on issues bordering on the recent defection of some PDP stalwarts to the Action Congress of Nigeria, ACN, his incarceration and the infighting in the state chapter of the party. Excerpts:

Would you say that PDP in Lagos State is prepared for this election?

Very prepared. It is not only when you see adverts in the newspapers, the base of the pyramid are the downtrodden and we have appealed to their hearts and minds. The people have found that they are the employers of those elected and not the other way round. With all the harsh pressures on the people, how do you get them to vote for you? The middle and upper class are crushing under the heavy weight of taxation; so, it is obvious to the people.

What is your take on comments  that some PDP leaders were angry that you are responsible for the division in the party?

You know people who were admitted to the PDP came from the Alliance for Democracy, AD. They are not used to the culture of the party; they came from a party which is undemocratic.

What of Wahab Dosunmu and Adeseye Ogunlewe?

They are the same, they both came from there. Remember, they jumped ship from the time they were in the Senate. That is the kind of character they exhibit; they refuse to learn the ropes, they want to be the big boys. But in this kind of game, you bid your time, grow with the party and learn the culture of the party. They cannot impose their own culture on the party.

Of course I was the symbol and I am still the symbol of the party in Lagos. Honesty of purpose, commitment and loyalty, they don’t have it. They don’t even understand these two words: loyalty and commitment, that is why they are junketing. They think they can just come through the back door and hit the roof top, it does not work that way.

Seriki came from the same back ground. You see when you come from the background of the AD, where one man selects and puts you in a position at his own whims and caprices, you cannot do that in the PDP. Why did he (Seriki) jump ship? He tried to be the governorship candidate but  lost, he feels he is now an acting big man.

But you have been accused of imposing Dosunmu…

But you people (press) covered the primaries. It is like saying that we imposed President Jonathan, did you not watch the primaries live? Was the Lagos State primary done in secret like the other parties? So, how could you say we imposed? I was not even there, I was in prison and the people decided. In terms of education background, in terms of intellect, service, exposure, academic laurels, he is the best. Which of them matches him?. People can decide on what they want to do and what they want to say, but for me, it does not make sense.

While in prison, you were said said to be the defacto PDP leader in Lagos?

That is what happens to most political leaders, if you are worthy of yourself as a leader, no matter where you are, people will gravitate towards you. When Papa Awolowo was in prison, what happened? When Mandela was in prison, what happened?

But people have argued that you cannot equate yourself with Mandela and Awolowo because they were political prisoners while you are not.

You don’t think that I was a political prisoner? Do you know what we were charged with? Was Papa Awolowo not charged with treason? What is treason by the Nigerian Constitution? Is it not felony? Those who are saying that, are talking out of malice and out of very little knowledge of the history of this country.

Papa Awolowo was charged with treasonable felony, if you remember, what was Mandela charged for, was it not criminal? We were accused of not following government’s regulation, secondly that we split contracts. It was the Lagos State Attorney-General and the Lagos State Government that convicted us for an offence that is supposed to be an offence at the federal level. So, if we don’t see political connotation in that, then, I don’t understand what you mean. We are waiting, we want the constitution of this country to be interpreted.

People like the former President Olusegun Obasanjo said you should not have been celebrated after your freedom, what do you say that?

That is Baba’s (Obasanjo’s) opinion and I have said that because of our culture, I will not take him on in the public.To me, that statement was uncalled for, I have said it before. I wish him the best of luck. I won’t say more than that. The charges are in the public domain, they did not say we stole any money, they did not say money from NPA was missing. It is not a matter of say: Where is N100 billion in a Federal government corporation? Does the board chairman, who is a part time chairman, have access to even the banks? Do we run the place on a daily basis? These is simple logic.

But it was the EFCC and not Lagos State Government that charged you?

Under which law? EFCC prosecuted me as chairman of a federal parastatal with the laws of Lagos State. What were we charged with? Were we charged with the laws of Federal Government? The Executive Director (Finance) was not arraigned, the Executive Director (Engineering) who brought the memo was not arraigned; so it is Bode George, who is a part time chairman, brought to Lagos State to be prosecuted. If it is not political, then what is it? I am not afraid of these jokers at my age. I was brought up in the Christian tenets that whatever you sow you would reap.

What are the chances of PDP in Lagos State?

We have appealed to the hearts and minds of the people, they have heard. Whatever comes out will be their decision. What we are saying is  let the people’s will prevail. If they now want to manipulate that will, then, they are looking for trouble.