Chief Olabode George, a member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Board of Trustees, has turned down his appointment to the party’s newly formed Disciplinary Committee, citing internal divisions and the committee’s composition as his reasons.

The National Working Committee (NWC) of the PDP, headed by acting Chairman Umar Damagum, recently established the Disciplinary and Reconciliation Committees to tackle the party’s ongoing internal crises. However, appearing on Arise TV’s Morning Show on Friday, George expressed his reservations about serving under Committee Chairman Chief Tom Ikimi.

“I can’t serve under him (Ikimi), because when did he join the party? We are all aware of the different factions dividing the party, and these issues need to be resolved first,” George stated. Highlighting his long-standing membership and seniority within the party, George insisted that party traditions and hierarchies should be respected. “I know Tom very well; he joined the party after me. The founding fathers handed over to us, so we hold the party’s traditions and principles. It’s not appropriate to make me serve under someone who, in terms of party hierarchy, came after me.”

George questioned the committee’s effectiveness, doubting its ability to address the party’s internal challenges. He pointed out that both the chairman and the secretary of the committee belong to the same faction, which he believes compromises the committee’s impartiality.

 “The chairman and the secretary of that committee are from the same group. Am I just supposed to sit there passively? We need a thorough review of what went wrong in the last elections, find solutions, and reunite everyone, because a house divided against itself cannot stand.” George’s decision underscores the ongoing struggles within the PDP as it works to resolve internal conflicts and solidify its role in the nation’s political sphere.