By Our Reporter
.says Tinubu's silence over development troubling
Former Deputy National Chairman of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Chief Bode George, has strongly condemned invasion of the party's national secretariat by the police on the day the duly elected executives were being inaugurated, describing the move as a serious threat to the growth of multi- party democracy in Nigeria.
Chief George expressed this concern on Tuesday at a press, which held in his Ikoyi, Lagos office in Ikoyi, saying that the forced entry into the PDP National Secretariat crossed every line of decency and legality.
The PDP chieftain noted that the development was troubling based on fact that, "in the face of all this," President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, as "the custodian of democracy — has remained silent."
George, while further condemning the development, argued that silence at such a moment can only be interpreted as tacit approval," pointing out that Nigeria had moved beyond the era where sheer force overrides order, even as he raised series of questions on could have authorised the police to take over the headquarters, among others.
"In the face of all this, the president — the custodian of democracy — has remained silent. Silence at such a moment can only be interpreted as tacit approval.
"Nigeria has moved beyond the era where sheer force overrides order. The question now is: Who authorised the police to take over the headquarters? Under what authority? Since when does a tenant overtake a landlord?" he queried.
Speaking further, the PDP chieftain sadly noted that the repeated violations of due process and unchecked abuses of power undermined public confidence, and threaten national cohesion, warning that current actions by some individuals risked pushing the nation's democracy towards instability.
"Current actions by some individuals risk pushing our democracy towards instability.
"Instead of responding with urgency, the APC-led Federal Government appears preoccupied with political positioning ahead of 2027, even if it means weakening institutions and suffocating the opposition.
"The recent disruption at the PDP Secretariat on November 18 is a grave warning. The actions of a group previously expelled for anti-party activities —reportedly encouraged by a serving Federal Minister —constitute an unacceptable assault on democratic order.
"Their attempt to prevent a duly-elected leadership from assuming office was not only unlawful, but part of a broader pattern that threatens the future of multi-party democracy in Nigeria.
"As a life member of the PDP Board of Trustees (BOT), I maintain without ambiguity: anyone wishing to leave the party is free to do so," Chief George stated.
George, however, warned that the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) should be mindful of what it does as, according to him, "the younger generation, watching those events unfolding, may grow disillusioned with democratic processes if this trajectory continues."
This was just as he quickly recalled that the PDP governed Nigeria for 16 years without subjecting any political opponent to that level of harassment or institutional manipulation, saying that it became imperative that President Tinubu should call his "minister to order and insist that he respects the laws of the land."
"It is, therefore, imperative that you call your minister to order and insist that he respects the laws of the land," he said.
On the Judiciary, George, while noting that the third arm of government remained the last hope of the common man, however, expressed worried why PDP-related cases were consistently channeled to the same few judges within the Abuja Division
"The Judiciary must be seen to be impartial. Anything short of fairness weakens its moral authority.
"Our party’s National Leadership, led by Senior Advocate Kabiru Turaki, has not called for the sealing of our headquarters," he declared.
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