Chief Bode George, former deputy national chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), has accused Setonji Koshoedo, the party’s deputy national secretary, of manipulating congresses in Lagos.
In a letter to the National Working Committee (NWC) of the party, George said Koshoedo, who has not contributed financially or otherwise to the PDP in the state, collected the forms for the congresses and “single-handedly” decided the process of distribution.
The former Nigeria Ports Authority board chairman said the action ignored efforts by party leaders to build consensus at the local government level.
Part of the letter read: “Hon Koshoedo, by his actions, has brought about acrimony and a situation that may lead to mayhem, disturbance of public peace and court actions.
“Why did he ignore the leadership of the party in Lagos that included two life members of the BoT, in determining the modus operandi for conducting the congresses in Lagos?
“How did he arrive at the list of people to be given nomination forms for distribution to the various local governments?
“Why were forms given to people who defected to the ADC and other parties in Lagos and are working openly with the opposition?”
George questioned whether Koshoedo’s role in the NWC gave him the authority to appoint leaders “at his whims and caprices” in Lagos.
He also queried why Koshoedo’s personal assistant was allowed to distribute nomination forms directly to local governments.
George said the party’s poor outing in Lagos during the 2023 elections showed the need for discipline and fairness.
“We are firing this early warning shot to Hon Koshoedo to prevent actions that will lead to political upheaval in the state, as it is obvious that his actions are, at best, nebulous.
“We are forced to declare him a political persona non grata in the state due to his actions. His actions are highly unacceptable. They are insulting, unacceptable, unjust and unfair,” he added.
George urged the NWC to intervene, stressing that members of the public are watching the PDP and expect fairness.