•Bode George
A member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Board of Trustees (BoT), Bode George, has reassured Nigerians that the party remains united despite its legal and internal challenges.
The chieftain, who spoke on Channels Television last night, described the PDP as “an Iroko,” a strong political party in Nigeria.
“The convention will go on. The court under Justice Akintola has given its own judgment. He stated that the order to continue our operations has been extended till Monday next week and that he will give his own judgement on 8 December.
“The majority of the members of the party know that this party is the Iroko, a political party in Nigeria. There is no organisation that will not have disagreement or debate, all kinds of things.
“I want to reassure you that this party is solid, undivided, and the way things went on, I am hell shocked that he (Sule Lamido) took the party to court,” he said on Friday on the show.
‘Due Process Unfollowed’
George said Former Jigawa State Governor, Sule Lamido, misunderstood the PDP’s nomination process for its 2025 national convention.
“The last NEC meeting we had, at that NEC, the date for the collection of forms for those who wanted to contest was stipulated.
“What they are supposed to do and when they are supposed to return the forms was all well stated and approved by NEC. That is the procedure.
“Everybody who wanted to collect forms was live, paid the normal dues, and they got the form. But on his (Lamido’s) own side, he came physically on the very day that the return of forms closed.
“Of course, with his status, if he had called them (NEC) earlier or told them that I want to take this form, they would oblige because of his status. But to now carry that and go to court because they didn’t give him the form? That day was the last day to return the forms, so did he do what is right?” he explained.
Sule Lamido said attending the PDP planned convention would contradict the court order that restored his rights.
George also criticised the Abuja court ruling Lamido relied upon.
The party chieftain stated, “I just heard about the judgment by another court there in Abuja. For God’s sake, the Supreme Court has ruled that all these kinds of issues, political issues, should be resolved within themselves.”
Appearing on the same show, Lamido described the party as a family once united but now “eroded”.
He also blamed party governors for the crisis and stressed his loyalty to the law.
The ex-governor said he took the case to court to restore his dignity, insisting he would not attend the convention while a court injunction exists.
Lamido had filed a suit to reclaim his right to purchase the nomination form for national chairman.
Planned Convention
Meanwhile, preparations for the convention, scheduled for today, Saturday and tomorrow, November 15 to 16, 2025, in Ibadan, Oyo State, are in full swing.
Delegates have started arriving, and the venue is decorated in PDP colours.
The Federal High Court in Abuja, under Justice Peter Lifu, issued an order halting the PDP convention until Lamido could obtain the nomination form.
In contrast, the Oyo State High Court adjourned ruling on a preliminary objection in a similar suit by PDP member Folahan Adelabi.
The court confirmed the interim order allowing preparations for the convention.
The conflicting rulings have deepened the party’s internal crisis, but governors and major stakeholders insist the convention will proceed.
