Former Deputy National Chairman of Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Chief Bode George has declared what seemed to be a truce in his battle with President-Elect Bola Ahmed Tinubu following a meeting with some elders from Lagos State on Sunday.
George has had a long period of cantankerous disagreement with Tinubu starting from when the President-Elect was governor of Lagos State.
Ahead of the 2023 presidential election, George had said he will leave Nigeria if Tinubu who ran on the platform of the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC was victorious.
But the former PDP Deputy National Chairman seemed to have had a change of mind about the imminent ascension of Tinubu as Nigeria’s president.
Now, George is no longer considering leaving Nigeria and has given indication that he will congratulate Tinubu on his victory in the presidential election.
The octogenarian PDP chieftain who spoke after a reconciliatory meeting initiated by elders and eminent Lagosians however said he would wait for the electiona petitions tribunal verdict before congratulating Tinubu.
Reports indicated that the reconciliation meeting which was held at Chief George office in Ikoyi was held behind closed doors for about six hours.
The meeting was at the instance of Prince Tajudeen Olusi, a member of Governor Advisory Council in Lagos State.
The meeting was also attended by former deputy governors of the state, Adejoke Orelope -Adefulire, Prince Abiodun Ogunleye, Senator Kofoworola Bucknor-Akerele, Justice Ishola Olorunimbe (rtd),Chief Layi Ogunbambi and Alhaji Satari Arileshere.
Also present were Chief Onikepo Oshodi, General Tajudeen Olanrewaju(rtd),Dr Niran Adeniji and Dr Remi Akintoye former acting national secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
According to Olusi, the move to reconcile Tinubu and George was to ensure that all Lagosians give the president-elect the support he deserves to succeed in office.
He said, “This is a gathering of eminent Lagosians, representatives of Lagos originality in all respect. This is my own second visit to Chief Bode George.
“We need to give praises to Almighty God, today the president- elect of our country, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, is from Lagos State, he happens to be a former senator also a former governor but, I repeat but, we know as a matter of fact that the relationship between the president elect and Chief Bode George is not, very, very cordial and we feel that it is important that we as leaders of the community should take steps to improve the relationship, therefore I got an appointment with Chief George on May 1, 2023 and to request for two days for that.’’
On his part, George said he had nothing personal against Tinubu.
He added that he had overlooked whatever grouse that was between them.
He added that he will congratulate Tinubu on his victory at the poll the court has decided the case filed by PDP against Tinubu’s victory at the poll.
“Asiwaju Tinubu and I as I have said, absolutely no battle, nothing personal between me and him, what has happened has happened and it has gone. Vengeance is not mine, it is Almighty God and if they see us, as said in local parlance Karin kapo, yiye ni nyeni (to move together in multitude add honours to one),” he said.
