PDP chairmanship: Babatope, others drum up support for Bode George

A chieftain of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), Chief Ebenezer Babatope, on Wednesday beat the drum for the party’s erstwhile National Vice-Chairman (South), Chief Olabode George as the national chairman.

Babatope told a news conference in Lagos that George was the “best man” that could pilot the affairs of the party “to a new and glorious beginning.”

The former Minister of Transport said George was a loyal, tested and a responsible party man and that he had the credentials to return the party to winning ways in 2019.

He said although the position had not been zoned to a particular area of the country, “it is only right and fair that the South-West to produce the chairman since it has not produced any since 1999.

“I stand here today in historic significance to testify to the truth and to affirm the righteous path.

“Our party, the PDP was in power for 16 years of unbroken democratic governance. In this particularisation, every zone had enjoyed the helsmanship of our party leadership except the South-West.

“This is troubling, this is not fair, this is unacceptable,” Babatope said.

Babatope said he was leading a mobilisation support team for George based on his conviction and other southwest leaders in the ability of the party chieftain to lead the PDP.

Babatope, who described George as morally upright, noted that his conviction for corruption had been nullified by the Supreme Court which described his conviction as a “frame up”.

He called on party members in the zone to bury their hatchet and support the aspiration of George.

Former chairmen of the party in Ogun and Lagos State, Chief Joju Folarin and retired Capt. Tunji Shelle, also spoke in support of George for the chairmanship race, saying he has the track record.