former chairman of pdp

My trial meant to cripple PDP in S’West –Bode George

By CHINELO OBOGO
Former national deputy chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Chief Olabode George has said his trial and eventual conviction were political conspiracies aimed to cripple the PDP in the South-West and to get him out of political activities in the country.
George, who spoke after a thanksgiving church service to celebrate the Supreme Court judgement that set aside the lower court’s verdict over his alleged contracts splitting case, said all that transpired under his leadership as the chairman of the board of the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), were guided by the long standing administrative circular which he said was still in use by the authority.
He said the former chairman of the Economic and Financial Crime Commission (EFCC), Nuhu Ribadu, once acknowledged that his trial and conviction were politically motivated, adding that “Even Nuhu Ribadu in his heydays at the EFCC boldly stated that whatever problem was at the NPA was a systemic issue and not fraud.”
While affirming that George’s victory would help PDP to win the South-West during the next general elections, President Goodluck Jonathan, who was represented by the Minister of Works, Mike Onolememen, said Nigeria would not allow any other Nigerian to suffer what George suffered by going to jail without committing any offence.
The president said: “He did not commit any crime known to law. But God was with him. He has been vindicated and people should celebrate with him. He is not tired and he will contribute to building the nation. Please celebrate with him and members of his family because he is finally free. With Bode, PDP will take over South-West.”
George, however, appealed to the aggrieved PDP governors who defected to the All Progressives Congress (APC) last year to return to the party, adding that members of the APC were selfish people who were not interested in good governance.
His words: “I want to appeal to our aggrieved governors; please come back home. You don’t know these APC characters. I know them. I know what their leader has turned Lagos into. They are not interested in any good governance. Their pursuit is about selfish mercenary interest.”
He also urged the PDP leaders across the country to unite and help in rebuilding the nation,