The Lagos State chapter of the All Progressives Congress has told the People Democratic Party chieftain in the state, Bode George, to steer away from politics after the latter’s defeat at the last general election.
In a statement issued Thursday in response to Mr. George’s call for President Muhammadu Buhari to probe Bola Tinubu and Babatunde Fashola, two past governors of the state, the APC said that Mr. George and the Lagos PDP had just woken up from a “chronic hallucination” after their defeat by the APC.
“Bode George is yet to come to terms that it is all over for PDP in Nigeria and Lagos. He is yet to believe that Lagos APC has forcefully retired him from active politics for ever in Nigeria and Lagos State,” the APC said in the statement by Joe Igbokwe, the state Publicity Secretary.
“Why is Bode George finding it difficult to believe that the game is over for him in Nigeria politics talk less of Lagos State?
“Who will tell Bode George that nobody takes him serious again in matters of Nigerian politics? Who will persuade Chief Bode George to quit politics now in his own interest?”
On Wednesday, Mr. George had accused Mr. Tinubu of complicity in the recent allegations of misappropriation of state funds by Mr. Fashola during his administration.
The PDP chieftain questioned some of the contracts awarded during Mr. Fashola’s tenure including the N78 million website upgrade, the N29 billion Lekki-Ikoyi link bridge, and N1.5 billion spent on pedestrian bridges across the state.
“And there are so many of these screaming illegalities observable in the record of our poster boy of yesterday,” said Mr. George.
“In a more just society, Mr. Fashola should be facing a comprehensive investigation rather than being considered for any appointment at all.”
While calling on President Buhari to probe Mr. Fashola, Mr. George said that “Tinubu should not be far behind” at the “interrogation centre.”
But the APC responded angrily accusing Mr. George of looting the Nigerian Ports Authority as well as his party’s funds and calling him a “jailbird”.
“What is giving Bode George the courage to believe that President Buhari will probe Asiwaju BAT (Bola Ahmed Tinubu) and Fashola, who are the real drivers of change in Nigeria because a Bode George said so?” Mr. Igbokwe asked.
“How can a jail bird who plundered and looted NPA, and who just got pardoned the other day because of 2015 elections forget easily that he is part of the problem of Nigeria and not part of the solution? Did Bode George know that his case at NPA and the fraudulent amnesty granted by the former President may be revisited?
“How can we forget that Chief George imposed Jimi Agbaje on Lagos PDP and caused a big crisis at Oregun Lagos where the party conducted its primaries? How can we forget that Chief Bode George kept the funds meant for his party campaigns in Lagos knowing fully well that there is no road to where he is going?
“How can we forget that it was this same Bode George that initiated the political brigandage and ethnic politics we saw in Lagos that nearly caused xenophobic attacks?”
The APC further stated that President Buhari has “full knowledge” of Mr. George’s “dubious activities” during the campaigns.
“How can an old man who armed thugs all over Lagos with an instruction to kill if necessary in order to steal Lagos be the one that will tell President Buhari what to do?
“Chief Bode George spoke about the cost of projects in Lagos, but the question is this: what does a hut builder know about Lekki-Ikoyi bridge? What does this carpenter know about gold? What does this failed politician know about good governance and service delivery?”
