A member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Board of Trustees, Chief Bode George, has said that former Jigawa State Governor, Sule Lamido, is within his rights to vie for the party’s national chairmanship position.
Speaking during an interview on Politics Today on Channels Television, Chief George emphasized that while the PDP supports consensus arrangements, such agreements do not prevent any member from contesting for elective positions.
“This has been part of the practice in the PDP. The fact that some leaders converge to support one person as a consensus candidate doesn’t mean others cannot compete,” George said.
The PDP stalwart explained that consensus remains a recognized approach within the party but is not binding on aspirants. According to him, the goal of such arrangements is to make the process smooth and less confrontational.
“You want to make the process seamless and non-combative. We’ve done this before, but the party has never told anyone they cannot contest. Governor Sule Lamido has the right to compete. He can get the form, fill it, and appear on the convention day. We will vote. That is the practice in our party,” he stated.
Chief George, however, cautioned party members against dragging internal matters to court without first exploring the PDP’s internal mechanisms for dispute resolution.
“This party is not owned by any individual. Before taking the party to court, you must exhaust the internal dynamics of the party. If you fail to do that, you can be punished,” he warned.
He further explained that while Lamido is free to pursue his ambition, any legal action taken against the party without following internal procedures could result in disciplinary sanctions.
“So, he is exercising his rights. But if he goes to court for this, he can be punished. Let him go, nobody will deny him any form, and he can compete. The final decision will be by delegates attending the convention, and it will be done openly,” George noted.
Lamido had earlier threatened to take legal steps against the PDP if he was denied access to the nomination form for the national chairmanship ahead of the party’s upcoming convention.
The former governor visited the PDP national secretariat in Abuja to obtain the form but was reportedly told by the National Secretary, Senator Samuel Anyanwu, and the National Organising Secretary, Umar Bature, that they had no information regarding its availability.
Speaking to journalists afterward, Lamido expressed frustration over the development, insisting that as a founding member, he had the right to participate fully in the party’s democratic processes.
“I went to the office of the National Organising Secretary, which is normally where the forms are sold, and the office was locked. I met him with the party’s Secretary, Senator Samuel Anyanwu, and both of them said they had no idea where the forms were or even how they were printed. So, I found it a little weird that the custodians of the system are also being locked out,” Lamido said.
Reports later revealed that the PDP chairmanship nomination forms were under the custody of Adamawa State Governor, Ahmadu Fintiri, who also serves as chairman of the party’s National Convention Organising Committee (NCOC).
What you should know
Chief Bode George’s remarks underscore the PDP’s stance on internal democracy and fairness, affirming that every member, including Sule Lamido, has the right to contest any position within the party.
The situation also highlights growing internal tensions as the party prepares for its national convention.
