By JOY ANIGBOGU, Lagos

Chief Bode George, former deputy national chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has said that by a successful convention conducted by the party, it has demonstrated capacity to resolve all afflictions presently halting the nation’s democratic process.

George said that the convention was a celebration of peace and goodwill, stressing that it was one sweeping carnival, full of celebration and gaiety, devoid of rancor, violence and ill will.

The Atona Odua of Yorubaland during a get together organised over the weekend to celebrate the successful convention and urging members to go and work towards party victory on 2023, maintained that the convention of the party held barely a week ago in Abuja has demonstrated so vividly the great possibilities that the PDP is indeed the party that can break and remove the various afflictions presently halting the nation’s democratic process.

He said, “I congratulate all the newly elected officers who will manage the affairs of our party for the next four years. From Senator lyorchia Ayu to every member of the National Working Committee, I salute you all for your dedication, for your vision and selfless pursuit to reposition our party to its winning ways. I equally congratulate the selflessness of all our governors and leaders who ensured the necessary cordiality and efficiency that resulted in the successful fruition of the convention.

“You are all now the new brave men and women who are now given the privilege and mandate to re-strategize, to restructure, to overhaul and to rebuild the party as one giant behemoth that will champion and lead our nation towards a peaceful, unified, indivisible, democratic journey,” he said.

The PDP leader who used the opportunity to condemn the invasion of the house of Justice Mary Odili stated:

"The recent invasion of the home of Justice Ukeago Odili of the Supreme Court of Nigeria by yet unknown agents of destabilization is a testimony to the fact that no one in our nation is safe anymore.

"It is a testimony about our state of aberration and uncertainties. This should not be the case in an enlightened democratic setting. Justice Odili is the second in hierarchy of our Supreme Court. The sanctity of her abode or anybody else for that matter should never be violated”

He said that the party must return sanity, truth, justice, predictability, fairness and equitable balance to the nation.

“That is our ultimate burden. That is our template of a new dawn. That is our primary focus of renewal and a rebirth. Our nation needs peace.

“We must demonstrate to the Nigerian people that we can steer them to a more redeeming course. We must show to the electorate that there is a better way to lead our people to a greater good. We must never be detained by the ills of the past. We must never be held back by the encumbrances of ancient feuds."

He said that the country is full of the best and the brightest across this God blessed geo political space.

“We must encourage and cultivate the best of talents to rescue our nation from the present abyss. Let us shun ethnic or sectarian divisions. Partisan differences must never degenerate to the dark recourse to malice and hatred.

“Let us return to the path of brotherhood and peaceful co-existence. Let us embrace civility and the liberating light of science. It is a welcome delight that our elections now will be conducted through electronic transmission of results. This will deepen the democratic process.

“This is the time to heal the wounds. This is the time to rectify the wrongs. This is the time to preach the bond of collective oneness. This is the time to forgive and get a common union predicated on equity, pivoted on fairness, solidify on the premise of justice regardless of tribal or sectarian differences. This is our challenge. This is our defining goal. This is the only road to reclaim the center in 2023,” he said.

George who also hinted that he would exit partisan politics in 2023, pointing out that by 2023 he would have devoted 25 years of his time in politics and 25 years in the navy.

“I was governor at the age of 42 years, and today I am 76 years, it is like I just left Akure yesterday. When I exit, another fellow will emerge. I will no longer be participating in active politics like I am doing now," he said. (Saturday Independent)

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