By Chinelo Obogo, Lagos
Former Deputy National Chairman of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) Chief Olabode George has condemned the recent invasion of the Rivers home of Justice Mary Odili of the Supreme Court of Nigeria by yet to be identified security officials, saying it is proof that no Nigerian’s safety is guaranteed.
At an event that took place at his Lugard office in Ikoyi, Lagos to mark the successful conduct of the party’s national convention, George said that, in a democracy, such an occurrence should not happen, pointing out that the sanctity of her home should never be violated.
‘The recent invasion of the home of Justice Mary Odili of Supreme Court of Nigeria by yet unknown agents of destabilisation is a testimony to the fact that no one in our nation is safe anymore. It is a testimony about our state of aberration and uncertainty.
‘This should not be the case in an enlightened democratic setting. Justice Odili is the second in the hierarchy of our Supreme Court. The sanctity of her abode or anybody else for that matter should never be violated,’ George said.
The party chieftain, who is also the Atona Oodua, congratulated all the new officials of the party elected at the convention in Abuja, saying that the exercise had demonstrated the great possibilities that the PDP has as the party that can end the suffering of Nigerians.
George, while decrying the situation in the country, said the responsibility of leadership has fallen on the shoulders of the newly elected National Working Committee (NWC) members to steer the ship of the party, ‘and lead our nation towards a peaceful, unified, indivisible, democratic journey,” but quickly noted that the task would not be an easy one.
George urged the new NWC of the PDP led by Senator Iyorcha Ayu to return the party to a path of sanity, truth and justice.
‘Our nation needs peace, so, we must demonstrate to the Nigerian people that we can steer them to a more redeeming course. We must show the electorate that there is a better way to lead our people to a greater good.
‘We must never be detained by the ills of the past. We must never be held back by the encumbrances of ancient feuds,’ George said.
He also disclosed that he will be stepping down from leading the PDP in Lagos State after the 2023 general elections.