A former Deputy National Chairman of the People’s Democratic Party, PDP, Chief Olabode George, has said he would not congratulate the President-elect Bola Tinubu now despite the reconciliation process initiated by elders in Lagos State.
George and Tinubu have been at loggerheads for years trying to control the soul of Lagos politics from their different parties but some leaders in the state many of them members of the ruling All Progressives Congress approached the PDP chieftain over the weekend asking him to collaborate with the President-elect as he takes over on May 29, 2023.
George said he would be willing to do anything for the progress of Lagos but it is hard for him to congratulate the APC candidate in the last election because his own party, PDP, has gone to court to challenge the outcomes of the poll.
His words: “Let me say there is no political differences. Justice Olorunnimbe is like a father, we respect our fathers in Lagos. When I got an invitation from Papa Olusi that he wanted to come and see me the first time, I told my friend who delivered the message that I should go and visit him and not the other way round. But Papa Olusi said said he had to come and see and that it had to do with the situation in Lagos.
“This is the second time Papa Olusi is visiting. We had detailed discussions that bothered on the unity of Lagos. I must say we re-established the fact that the culture of Lagos is to accept and accommodate other tribes.
“Secondly, on the details of us working together, because a divided house will be a defeated house, I have explained to Baba Olusi that there is no problem about working together. The kind of platform we are trying to have is for a unity of purpose in Lagos State, irrespective of party affiliations.
“On the bottom line, you are a Lagosian though we can different political affiliations.
Now, they came for three things: they talked about the running battle I had with Tinubu and I have said I absolutely have no battle, nothing personal between him and I.
“What had happened has gone, vengeance is not mine but the almighty God. We will have differences, we will disagree but we must not be disagreeable.
“They made a request which we are all looking at. They requested that someday we should also congratulate Asiwaju and we said yes, but that I belong to a political party. They are all in the courts now. Let us finish the court cases. Whichever way that goes, the issue of congratulating him or not will come to fruition. I have nothing personal and nothing happens without the almighty God. As a believer, that is my school of thought.
“This union and discussion we have had is a positive step towards a new Lagos.”
