Gov. Wike of Rivers State

Gov. Nyesom Wike of Rivers says Chief Olabode George, exhibited failure with his withdrawal from the chairmanship race of Peoples Democratic Party, PDP yesterday.

George, a member of the PDP Board of Trustee (BoT), while announcing his withdrawal from the race, accused Wike of insulting the Yoruba race on a national television.

Wike said that the Yoruba people had never contributed anything meaningful to the success of the PDP, a statement he said was insultive.

George maintained that Wike must tender an unreserved apology to the Yoruba people for his utterances against the race.

He also accused Wike of hijacking the party`s machinery and trying to impose a particular aspirant on its members.

The PDP BoT member who stood for the party`s micro-zoning principal said that the South-West was already cheated with the entrant of aspirants from the South-South.

He also alleged that the PDP chairmanship position had been sold to the highest bidder.

“It appears the PDP is bent on self-destruction, I can’t be part of this, the chairmanship position has been sold to the highest bidder.

“It appears that PDP has lost its soul. I cannot be part of this criminal allegation, the PDP is now mangled.

“I hereby withdraw from the fraud as a Yoruba patriot, I will stand for our people,’’ George said while announcing his withdrawal from the race.’’

He added that he entered the race due to the micro zoning arrangement which he said had been trashed.

He, however, explained that he did not step down from the race for anybody, but for the process and on principle, adding that his measure of experience was too heavy.

Wike, while reacting to the development, said; “with all due respect, George is suppose to be seen as a father, what he did yesterday was to exhibit failure’’.

While reacting to the development, Wike said, “with all due respect, George is suppose to be seen as a father, what he did yesterday was to exhibit failure’’.

According to Wike, George cannot change the fortune of the party in his zone when the opportunity presented itself.

He, however, expressed optimism that the PDP would become stronger after the convention in spite of the withdrawal of George and other aspirants from the race.

He added that George was one of the leaders of the party, and one of its founding father and could not run away from it.

“He has to remain in the party to join in rebuilding it,’’ Wike said.