Bode George’s welcome party, a celebration of criminality — Obasanjo

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo yesterday took a serious exception to the recent grand reception accorded Lagos socialite and former National Vice-Chairman of the People Democratic Party (PDP), Chief Bode George, on leaving the Kirikiri Prison last Saturday.

He said the action was akin to “celebrating criminality.”

The PDP chieftain, who was a one-time Military Administrator of Ondo State, came out of prison last Saturday, having served out his two-year term.

He was jailed in October 19, 2009 along side five others over corruption charges bordering on his tenure as chairman of NPA.

A carnival-like reception was organised for him by party chieftains, family members and associates.

While newspaper adverts were placed days to his release, eulogising him, on the day he was released, people turned out in gay and colourful aso ebi (native uniform) at the grand reception held for him after the thanksgiving service in church.

Incidentally, former President Obasanjo attended the event.

Obasanjo, who fell short of saying he was lured into attending the reception programme, which was graced by family members, friends, associates of George and members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), added that the huge welcome party in honour of the Kirikiri returnee, has put a moral burden on PDP and could ruin its chances of capturing Lagos in April election.

The Chairman, Board of Trustee (BoT) of PDP, who at his Hill–Top mansion, in Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital yesterday, spoke to reporters preparatory to his 74th birthday bash today (Saturday), said the situation was not helped by the fact that Bode George did not conduct himself wisely while sojourning in Prison.

He said the imprisonment and subsequent release of former Chairman of the Nigerian Ports Authority, Chief Bode George was not his (Obasanjo’s) making, stressing that George was the architect of whatever that sent him to prison.

Obasanjo said given the national, regional and state strength of PDP, it should have dissociated itself from the lavish welcome party held for George.

Hear Obasanjo: ” Bode did not conduct himself properly while in prison, he was doing things as if he is a lord of the manor. When Awolowo was in prison in Calabar, he did not misbehave, but Bode was trying to run PDP affairs from prison; that was a mistake.

“A passionate message (was sent) urging me to attend a family church thanksgiving and I believe that for whenever any family is giving thanks in the church or in the mosque and he invites me and I am able to go there, I will go there, whether it is for marriage, for burial, house warming or christening a child. But when I got to the church (Bode George’s thanksgiving), the atmosphere I found was more than a family affair.

“And I even took the opportunity to ask the state PDP chairman that, is this a PDP affair? And he told me it was not a PDP affair because I don’t see what PDP as a national party, as a party that is trying to form a government in Lagos State, as a party that formed government at the national level and in at least 27 states in the country, we (should not) would be celebrating criminality because whatever we may say, the reason Bode went to prison should be condemned by everybody and I have condemned it but he did not go to prison for political offence.

“If he had been sent to prison for political offence, then he comes back and all his political associates may get round him and PDP must do something noble and wholesome but in this case, PDP as a party must dissociate itself from celebrating criminality.

“When I asked the state chairman, he said well, you know Area Boys they do hijack this thing. If it (is) Area Boys, leave it to the Area Boys.”

Obasanjo also lauded the judgement given by Justice Abdu-Kafarati of a Federal High Court in Abuja, which favoured his faction of the crisis–ridden Ogun State PDP, saying it is another avenue to further confirm his belief that he would continue to laugh at his political foes in the state.

He reckoned that he would not take issues with those that criticise or work at cross –purposes with him, ostensibly referring to the rift over candidates of the party for April polls in the Gateway State. He said such people were not wise at all; hence, the recourse to laughing at them at every available opportunity.

His words: “It is a confirmation of my belief that I would continue to laugh over my enemies. I have not replied to their abuses and criticism because I won`t answer them. I know I would still laugh over them and would continue to laugh over them.

“I keep quiet because when you say something about me or against me, I find who said it, and what was his motive. When the motive was unwholesome, then I keep quiet because the Bible says don’t answer a fool, otherwise, you may be taken for a fool yourself. So the next verse – Proverbs 26:5 says answer back a fool otherwise, he may think that he is a wise man.

“Now, the question is, at what point do you know when to answer back a fool and when to keep quiet and let the fool continue to fool himself?

“So, when people are fooling themselves, I just keep quiet and when there is an occasion that I believe I should answer them back, I don’t answer them back through the law because I am still laughing.”

He, however, said as the chairman of BOT of the PDP and conscience of the party, he is working to ensure that PDP in Ogun State enter the April poll united through the settlement of whatever may be the rift within the party.

“I have told Olurin to extend his hand of fellowship to other people. I have told him to set up a reconciliation committee even before the court ruled. PDP nationally is a family; state-wise it is a family; local government wise, it is a family. So, the members in Ogun State should put behind them whatever might be their bone of contention,” he said.