Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chieftain, Chief Bode George, has dismissed claims that the party is no longer viable, describing such views as misguided and unrealistic.
Speaking on a live television programme on Monday, the elder statesman responded to suggestions that the PDP has lost relevance, saying, “Those are dreamers. I’m telling you, they are first-class dreamers. In political management, ownership structure, camaraderie—what we have in the PDP, they don’t have.”
George, a member of the PDP Board of Trustees, described the party as “the Iroko political party of Nigeria,” affirming that its foundations remain strong despite recent internal challenges.
His remarks followed a dramatic disruption earlier in the day, when he and other members of the PDP National Working Committee were denied access to the party’s national secretariat in Abuja. Security operatives had surrounded the building ahead of scheduled meetings of the National Executive Committee (NEC) and Board of Trustees (BoT).
“It’s like going back to your home, and suddenly it’s surrounded by police. I thought, what in the globe is happening?” George said, describing the blockade as disgraceful and provocative.
The party was forced to relocate the BoT meeting to the Yar’Adua Centre in Abuja’s Central Business District. The PDP later proceeded with its 100th NEC meeting at the Wadata Plaza headquarters after police vacated the secretariat.
During the meeting, Acting National Chairman, Ambassador Umar Damagum, announced that deliberations would focus on setting a date for the next full NEC session. The meeting concluded with a resolution to reconvene on July 23 and reaffirmed Senator Samuel Anyanwu as the party’s National Secretary.
Meanwhile, the ongoing leadership tussle over the National Secretary position remains unresolved. Both Anyanwu and Sunday Ude-Okoye claim to hold the office, despite a Supreme Court ruling in March. A new hearing on the matter is set for September 22 at the Federal High Court in Abuja.
Reacting to the police presence, PDP Governors’ Forum Chairman and Bauchi State Governor, Bala Mohammed, said it was a precautionary move to prevent miscreants from disrupting the meeting. However, George and fellow BoT member Maina Chiroma condemned the deployment, calling it an attempt to intimidate the party.
“This is our property. Was there any court order stopping us from meeting in our office? Nigerians are watching. You want to turn us into North Korea or Russia? We will not allow it,” George warned.
The FCT Police Command denied sealing off the secretariat. Its spokesperson, Josephine Adeh, said the officers were deployed solely to maintain law and order.
George, undeterred by the disruption, emphasised that the PDP remains committed to resolving internal issues and uniting ahead of future national engagements.
“These experiences are a load of lessons for party members… There’s no organisation in the world without a crisis. The most sensible thing is to come back, close the door, speak some home truths, debate, and unite—and that is what we’ve done today,” he said.
