The former National Deputy Chairman (Southwest) of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Olabode George has called on the party’s Board of Trustees (BoT) to urgently wade into the crises rocking its Rivers and Edo chapters.
The elder statesman lamented that the crisis is assuming an ugly dimension that needs the urgent intervention of the party leaders.
Speaking during a television programme, George said the opposition party’s chances of winning elections in the two states would be undermined if its leaders failed to resolve the lingering disputes in the affected chapters.
Acknowledging the fact that intra-party disputes were not alien to politics, he disagreed with those calling on the party to wield a big stick against some individuals.
He added that disciplining anybody now will not bring the needed solution, but may fuel the crises to consume the party.
Asked if he was not bothered over the political disagreement, George said, “I agree with you and as I follow the gladiators’ utterances, I’m wondering what the BoT is doing regarding the disputes in Edo and Rivers chapters.
“This is a time to forget all the various divides and go to talk to warring factions to resolve the issues. We can resolve our issues.
“While I agree that there will be disagreements here and there in any party, and this happens all over the world; this party is not the private property of any individual for God’s sake. Let the leaders in the BoT rise above those utterances and do the needful. The way it is going is getting disturbing.”
George, who said the fights were capable of hurting the party’s reputation in the eyes of the electorates, said party leaders should do all within their powers to rescue the situation.
“What will the electorate think about us? We want to convince the electorates that though there will be crises, we have the capacity, knowledge and ability to amicably resolve our issues. Let the BoT get up. This is the time they can show that they mean well for the party. It is so disturbing with the level of the crises.
“Unfortunately, the judiciary that should be independent has been dragged into the fiefdom. Now, we have verdicts and counter-verdicts from the courts,” he added.
