Bode George, a chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), pointed fingers at some members of the party’s National Working Committee (NWC) for the PDP’s failure in the 2023 presidential polls.
In a press statement on Wednesday, George accused the NWC of contributing to the setback by awarding party tickets to individuals with deep pockets.
Specifically referring to the situation in Lagos, the former PDP Deputy National Chairman criticised the NWC for deviating from established procedures laid out by the party’s founding fathers for conducting primary elections and congresses.
He emphasised the need to return to these established processes to enhance the party’s prospects in future elections.
George cited the example of Lagos’ primaries, stating that people unfamiliar with the locality were appointed to conduct the elections.
He expressed concerns about outsiders determining the party’s candidates and highlighted the potential for interference in the selection process.
“A typical example is the primaries in Lagos, either governorship; they will send people who don’t live here and who have no business here to come and conduct primaries,” George said.
“How can somebody from outside know your house more than you by the time they land rather than allowing people to vote, they will be looking for the aspirants and they become their Automated Teller Machine.”
He raised questions about the fairness and transparency of the process, suggesting that the involvement of external figures led to compromises and a departure from the party’s democratic principles.
George called for the establishment of a reconciliation committee to address these issues and move the PDP forward.
He stressed the importance of conducting a thorough review of the party’s experiences in each state during the 2023 elections.
“There should be no short approach; sweeping everything under the carpet is a foolish way to do it,” George emphasized.
“We must set up a committee that will go around the country, move state by state, and make inquiries about their experiences, what happened to finances, and the political aspect. How were the primaries conducted in each state? Who did what?”