Veteran Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chieftain and Board of Trustees member, Chief Bode George, has criticised former Jigawa State Governor Sule Lamido for threatening to sue the party over his inability to access the nomination form for the position of national chairman.
Speaking on Channels Television’s Politics Today on Tuesday, Chief George stated that while Lamido has every right to contest for any elective office, taking the party to court without exhausting internal mechanisms goes against the PDP’s constitution and could attract sanctions. “This party is not owned by any individual. Before taking the party to court, you must exhaust the internal dynamics of the party. If you fail to do that, you can be punished,” he cautioned.
George explained that the PDP encourages consensus-building to foster unity and reduce division during internal elections, but clarified that this does not stop anyone from contesting. “The fact that some leaders converge to support one person as a consensus candidate doesn’t mean others cannot compete,” he said, stressing that consensus is optional and not compulsory.
He further noted that Lamido remains free to purchase the nomination form and face delegates at the convention. “He can get the form, fill it, and appear on the convention day. We will vote. That is the practice in our party,” George added.
Lamido had earlier expressed frustration after visiting the PDP National Secretariat in Abuja, where he was reportedly unable to obtain the chairmanship form. He claimed that both the National Secretary, Senator Samuel Anyanwu, and the National Organising Secretary, Umar Bature, said they were unaware of the form’s availability, suggesting that the process was being deliberately obstructed.
Despite the brewing controversy, Chief George maintained that due process must be followed and warned against dragging internal party matters to court. “The PDP has procedures for resolving disputes,” he said, urging Lamido and others to respect the party’s structure and unity ahead of its convention.
This development comes amid renewed calls within the PDP for reforms and transparency in leadership selection, as the party prepares for its next convention.
