Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has criticised former Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chieftain Bode George, accusing him of failing to deliver electoral victories for the party in Lagos despite his long-standing influence within the organisation.
Wike said George’s continued criticism of him was linked to his failure to secure the position of PDP National Chairman, alleging that the former deputy national chairman believed the position belonged to him.
“He wanted to be PDP National Chairman, and was carrying on like the position was his birthright. We stopped him because it was the turn of the South-South. Since then, he has not stopped being angry,” Wike said.
According to the FCT minister, George’s political frustration was further fuelled by the emergence of Deji Doherty, whom he claimed the former PDP leader did not want to take charge of the party in Lagos State.
Wike recalled that he personally visited George’s residence in Maitama, Abuja, after the PDP national convention while he was still governor of Rivers State, in an attempt to resolve their differences.
“As a sitting governor, I visited his house in Maitama, Abuja, to appease him after the national convention. His wife attempted to walk me out but for the intervention of former governor of Ondo State, Olusegun Mimiko,” he said.
Wike Questions George’s Electoral Record
The FCT minister went further to describe George as a failed politician, arguing that despite his years of influence and prominent positions within the PDP, he had not been able to deliver Lagos State for the party since 1999.
“We have managed him even though we know that he has no value. But as it is, since he wants to keep dancing naked in the marketplace of politics, we can’t but allow him,” Wike said.
He argued that party leadership should be determined by the ability to win elections rather than by a person’s name, title or claim to being a founding member.
“Leadership of a political party is not by name, title or being a founding father. Rather, it is about what you are able to bring to the table in terms of winning elections, and in this regard, Bode George is a complete disaster,” he said.
Wike backed up his criticism by referring to electoral results from George’s former polling unit in Lagos Island. He claimed that the PDP had repeatedly failed to defeat the APC at the polling unit.
“Even his Unit 001 in Ward E2, Evans Street, Lagos Island, he has never won for the PDP. In the 2019 Presidential election, APC had 84 votes while PDP had 40. In the 2023 elections, he transferred his voter’s card to Eti-Osa, PDP had four votes in his polling unit,” Wike said.
The minister also took a swipe at George’s frequent media appearances, suggesting that the former PDP chieftain had little else occupying his attention.
“Since it appeared that he is not busy, he will continue to make his likes busy by creating reason for them to jump from one television station to the other,” he added.
Wike’s remarks further highlight the longstanding tensions within the PDP as political figures position themselves ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Source: Statement attributed to FCT Minister Nyesom Wike.
