Obanikoro rejects Agbaje’s victory

Former Minister of State for Defence Musiliu Obanikoro who lost the
governorship primary to businessman Jimi Agbaje, was yesterday
seething with anger. He said the only time the Peoples Democratic
Party (PDP) in Lagos had peace was while the party's Southwest leader,
Chief Olabode George was in prison. George got a state pardon.
Obanikoro was addressing the outcome of the party's governorship
primary on Monday in which George's preferred candidate, was announced
winner.
The former minister who rejected the result, describing the primary
election as a "sham", said before George went to prison the party was
in "crises galore', which got boiling again after his release from
prison.
Obanikoro rebuffed the former Nigerian Port Authority (NPA) boss'
claim that he (Obanikoro) was the one who brought thugs to the venue
of the election, stressing that George had thugs and a vehicle loaded
with arms at the premises.
"Because it is important for the people to know. Let me say that the
only time we had some semblance of peace in Lagos PDP was when Bode
George was in prison.
"Before and after coming out, it has always been crises galore. He
always creates crisis because he is not democratic in any shape and
form.
"If you want to dictate, do it in your house. Even in your house these
days, you have to sit down with your children and come to terms with
the realities of the day," said Obanikoro.
Obanikoro accused George of sponsoring "SURE P thugs" who occupy Lagos
roads illegally, adding that aside using thugs to harass his
supporters on the day of the election, the leader tried to stop the
police from doing their job.
He accused George of telling the party leaders not to vote a Muslim,
adding that it was the same method George used in 2007 to force
Funsho Williams on the party.
Obanikoro vowed to appeal the outcome of the primary for the interest
of justice and fairness.
Obanikoro said: "I am not going to send congratulatory message to
anybody because of the manner the election was conducted and the
processes that led to the election."
George had objected to Obanikoro's governorship ambition, saying that
it was borne out of desperation and extreme covetousness.
He said his resignation, barely six months after his appointment, was
unfair and annoying.
The former PDP National Deputy Chairman also chided the former
minister for peddling falsehood about the circumstances surrounding
his resignation.
He said Obanikoro lied to the Lagos PDP when he said that he was
advised to resign by President Goodluck Jonathan to join the
governorship race.
George said there was no way the president would have asked the former
minister to quit the federal executive council and vie for the
governorship without carrying party leaders along.