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Bode George gives reason for insisting on Ayu’s resignation

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ATIKU: Bode George goes spiritual, says ‘He that’s without sin should cast the first stone’

Olabode George, a former deputy national chairperson, South-West of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on Friday, gave reasons for supporting calls for Iyorchia Ayu, the party’s national leader, to quit.

He added that the appeal needed his backing to ensure balance within the party and that doing so would enable the main opposition party to win support of Nigerians as the appropriate party in the coming election.

He spoke when he appeared as a guest on Friday on The Morning Show on Arise TV.

George continued by saying that he had been a longtime member of the party’s structure and knew what was best for the organisation.

He claimed that calling for Ayu’s resignation was legal and in accordance with the constitution because the PDP chairman had already stated that he would step down if the party’s presidential candidate came from the north.

George said, “There are six top positions in the country. The positions are the presidency, vice presidency, senate presidency, speakership, Secretary to the government, and National chairman of the party. Six zones and six positions and so every zone will go home with one of these top positions. In other words, you have removed the friction.

““And it was agreed that after every eight years, all the three top positions in the north will come down to the south and vice versa. And if you look at it right now, number one in our party is the presidency, and number six is the party chairmanship position and both cannot come from the same geopolitical zone.

Read also:PDP CRISIS: Bode George gives deadline for Ayu to step aside

“Now, here we are. Some people come into the picture and advocated that there was no need to have zoning anymore and this shocked me. In fact, the need to have zoning now is more important than in 1998/1999.

““Now that we are trying to manoeuvre the concept that came from us to suit certain purposes and personal ambitions, it is going to drive us to the canvass and that is what I am saying.

“We are not asking Ayu that he should be zoned out or forced to resign. We are asking for this in the sense of oneness and inclusivity for him to throw in the towel and let us balance the top positions. We are going to campaign in my zone and we want our party to win. If it is not going to affect the party, I won’t bother.

“But how do I go on the campaign trip in the South-West and tell the people that look, we are ready and you must vote for our candidate?

“Let’s assume the south has the presidential ticket, vice presidential ticket and chairmanship position, how will our PDP brothers from the north take it? Will they be happy? All I am saying is to ensure justice and fairness and if they say they don’t want it, history will be on the side of the truth.”

Amid the increased calls for the resignation of the party’s national chairman, Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State on Wednesaday, while speaking on behalf of the South-West PDP, demanded that Ayu step aside.

“If we want to restructure Nigeria, we must have the willingness to bring inclusivity to the PDP. Do we have the capacity? The answer is a resounding yes.

“The message from the south-west PDP is that the south-west is asking that the national working committee (NWC) of the PDP should be restructured.

“We are asking the national chairman to step down so that the south will be fully included. That is the message,” Makinde stated.

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