BY DANIEL IDONOR
ABUJA—Former South-West Deputy Chairman of Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Chief Olabode George, yesterday, said he will not seek presidential pardon, but was prepared to pursue his appeal against his conviction to the Supreme Court to prove his innocence.

He was in 2009 sentenced to two years imprisonment for contract splitting and inflation by a Lagos High Court and the Court of Appeal, Lagos, had confirmed the conviction.

George who was at Aso Rock, yesterday, however, insisted that he was innocent of the crime, which took him to jail. He said he did not steal any money from government.

He also denied the existence of crisis in Lagos PDP, saying that the party was waxing strong.

“There is no crisis in Lagos PDP. The alleged problem is in the minds of those who don’t understand and are perpetually trying to misinform the public that there is problem in PDP”.

On why he was in Abuja, he said “I am here to see the President; he is the leader of my party.  He is the leader of my party and President of the country that is why sometimes, we show courtesy by coming to pay our respect.”

On his seeking presidential pardon, he said “you must be kidding; my visit has nothing to do with it at all. God is the greatest judge, isn’t it? If you were conspired against, then what do you do? Thank God the judge himself said we didn’t steal one single kobo.

So what did I do? The judicial thing is still there, I will fight it (conviction) right all the way to the top (Supreme Court), let’s get down there before we sum it up.”