Former Deputy National Chairman of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Chief Olabode George, who is gunning for the chairmanship of the party at its next national convention, has insisted that he remains the best candidate for the position, describing alleged pressure on him to step down from the race as utter rubbish.
A report, not in Tribune newspaper, had claimed that George, who is also the Atona Oodua of the Source, has been under pressure from some governors and other PDP stakeholders to rest his ambition and give chance to other contestants in the race.
George, who denied that he was under any pressure not to contest for the exalted office, also described the report as crooked propaganda and the handiwork of those who felt challenged by his intimidating records as politician of note with rich experience in party management.
Speaking through his Special Adviser (Political), Mr. Uthman Sodipe, the PDP chieftain said nothing could be far from the truth, maintaining that Chief George remained the consensus candidate of the South West having been nominated and approved for the chairmanship post by the stakeholders in the zone, including the incumbent governor.
According to Sodipe, “It is utter rubbish, it is utter rubbish, there is nothing like that (the reported pressure). Chief George is leading candidate in the race, he is the front runner. He is the one with better understanding of how the PDP can be better run and overcome its current challenges.
“He is one with a lot of experience in party management having served in the position of deputy national chairman of the party. We do not need a neopythe. The party needs someone who is a dependable hand, we do not need a weakling to run the party, so the party needs a strong hand like Bode George, somebody who is acceptable to the youth, the elderly and everybody within the fold.”
Speaking further, Sodipe, who noted that George’s political aspiration has since received the blessing of the PDP members and leaders in the Northern part of the country, also posited that the party at this time around needed Chief George who could not be dictated to by anybody or group in pursuit of narrow or selfish interest.