Former Deputy National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Chief Olabode George has blamed “panic” as reason why National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Adams Oshiomhole is allegedly committing blunders.
He made this known in an interview with Vanguard published on Sunday.
George expressed surprise at the recent face-off between Oshiomhole and Minister of Labour and Employment, Dr. Chris Ngige during which Oshiomhole threatened to remove him from office as minister.
He described the APC boss’s assertions as unbecoming of a leader and urged him to take a deep breadth before speaking.
George said, “The Chairman of the APC, Adams Oshiomhole, is shooting in the wrong direction.
“He appears to be somebody in panic and, once you panic, you will misfire. My advice is that he should take a deep breath because words are like arrows, once you fire, you cannot take it back.
“A leader is assessed based on how he manages the affairs of his organisation.
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“When I learned that Oshiomhole threatened to remove a Minister, I was surprised. This was a Minister who was appointed and the parliament approved his nomination and you want to single-handedly remove him.”
Speaking on his recent visit to former President Olusegun Obasanjo, who he blamed for sending him to prison, George said it became necessary in order to settle the rift that existed for so long between them.
He said, “Our culture in Yorubaland emphasises respect for elders. Obasanjo is like my Baba.
“Yes, I got a bit angry because when they accused me (of corruption as the Chairman of the Nigeria Ports Authority Board) and took me to a Lagos court, I thought it was a joke, but looking back, I am not angry, because the experience I acquired, the lesson I learned in prison, there is no university that can provide that.
“There is no human being that is perfect; we are prone to making mistakes, and when you know that, there is no need to keep harboring grudges.
“Baba and I were extremely close. I had been in his bedroom taking notes and we were planning together, but I later found myself on the other side; but that made me determined that, in my lifetime, whatever is just and right, I will pursue.
“Whatever it is, Baba is still a bundle of knowledge, people may misunderstand his passion for this country but history will remember him for good.
“But for me, I am happy that we are now back together for good. I saw human hand in our separation.”
George also disclosed how his longstanding rift with National Leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, was settled.
He said, “Bola and I reconciled at (Alhaji Azeez) Arisekola’s burial in Ibadan.
“Bola is human and I was so angry with him because of certain things that happened.
“We have our differences on political issues, but my teacher used to tell me that you can disagree without being disagreeable, but he didn’t realize that.
“I went to the burial of Arisekola, my late friend. I was still annoyed with Tinubu as of that time and, as I was preparing to come back to Lagos, I stood up and greeted everyone but, when I got to him, I didn’t greet him.
“Ajimobi (Governor of Oyo State), who is my good, younger one, gripped my hand and said “you didn’t greet Tinubu” and I told him that “once God shows you your enemy, he can do you no harm”.
“Oba Otudeko, who is also a close friend of Arisekola, was also at the occasion.
“He (Otudeko) now told Ajimobi to go and call Bola Tinubu. When he (Tinubu) came, he said, “Elder, I am sorry”, and that was the end of my annoyance.
“We still belong to different political parties. But all of us cannot sleep and face one direction, we have different ideas but let’s have robust discussion, and it will help the system, let the better man run.”
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