A member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Board of Trustees, Chief Bode George, has said that former Jigawa State Governor, Sule Lamido, is fully entitled to contest for the party’s national chairmanship position.
Speaking on Channels Television’s Politics Today on Tuesday, George explained that while the PDP encourages consensus arrangements, such decisions do not prevent any member from pursuing elective positions within the party.
“This has been part of the practice in the PDP. The fact that some leaders converge to support one person as a consensus candidate doesn’t mean others cannot compete,” George stated.
He added that although consensus remains an accepted process within the PDP, it is not mandatory for aspirants.
“You want to make the process seamless and non-combative. We’ve done this before, but the party has never told anyone they cannot contest. Governor Sule Lamido has the right to compete. He can get the form, fill it, and appear on the convention day. We will vote. That is the practice in our party,” he said.
George, however, cautioned members against taking internal disputes to court without first exhausting the party’s internal resolution mechanisms.
“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 warned.
He further noted that while Lamido is free to contest, resorting to legal action could attract disciplinary consequences.
“So, he is exercising his rights. But if he goes to court for this, he can be punished. Let him go, nobody will deny him any form, and he can compete. The final decision will be by delegates attending the convention, and it will be done openly,” George stated.
Lamido had earlier threatened legal action against the PDP if denied access to the nomination form for the chairmanship position. Reports later revealed that the forms were under the control of Adamawa State Governor Ahmadu Fintiri, who chairs the party’s National Convention Organising Committee (NCOC).