Why I kicked against ex-minister's governorship ambition - Bode George

The former Deputy National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, Chief

In a recent interview with Punch, George explained that he kicked against Obanikoro's governorship ambition because he wanted all the coveted positions that other party members aspire to hold in PDP.

He said: "During the last administration, I led a delegation from the South-West to Jonathan. I complained that there was no indigenous minister from Lagos State in his government. Jonathan said he would satisfy us. He then asked us to bring three names from Lagos, that he would consider one of them as a minister. I called a meeting of all the leaders from the senatorial districts in my compound to nominate names from each district.

Obanikoro’s name was last in the Lagos-Central senatorial district. They didn’t vote for him. I gave them free hand to nominate and vote. After voting, they gave me three names which I took to Jonathan.

Continuing, George said: "Jonathan wanted a woman as a minister. He rejected the initial names we submitted and asked us to nominate three qualified women for the job. I took the message back to Lagos. They nominated the women and I took the paper back to the president, to choose any of the three women we suggested. Then I travelled (out of the country). When I came back, Obanikoro came to my house and prostrated before me.

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"I asked him what the problem was. I said, “I hope you have not committed any crime?” He said no. He said Jonathan had chosen him to be a minister and that he had got his appointment letter. He said he was asked to come and seek my support. I said the final decision on who would represent Lagos could only be taken by the President. I said there was no way I would challenge Jonathan’s decision. Obanikoro went to the Senate for confirmation and the likes of Mrs. Oluremi Tinubu and other APC senators opposed his nomination. But David Mark was able to manouvre for him and he was confirmed. Obanikoro left there and came straight to my house to come and thank me. He thought I would oppose him. I said, “Obanikoro, listen, I am a Christian. If you want to be minister, go and be. God must have said you will be a minister.”

"Two months after, he came to me and said he wanted to be governor. I said, ‘Obanikoro, if you knew you wanted to be governor, why did you go and lobby Jonathan to be minister? He said, “I didn’t lobby sir.” I said if he didn’t lobby, how did his name get to Abuja? I made up my mind not to support him. I asked him why he didn’t allow somebody else to be minister when he had a governorship ambition. I said, ‘na you alone dey for this party?’" he said.