The People’s Democratic Party (PDP) has reacted to reports that its present National Chairman, Uche Secondus, will vacate the office and be replaced by Bode George.
PDP’s reaction followed a report by a leading national newspaper which published an article titled: “Southwest PDP Chairmen alleged plot to replace Secondus with George.”
The story alleged that Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo state was plotting to remove Mr Secondus and install Chief Bode George as the chairman of the party.
However, in a statement the spokesperson of the party, Kola Ologbondiyan, stated that the article was read with “consternation and unbelief”.
He added: “The stark truth is that the article was total fabrication. The piece claims that Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo state is scheming to displace Mr Uche Secondus and make Chief Bode George the Chairman of the People’s Democratic Party.
“This is utter nonsense and falsehood. It is libelous; an outrageous fable, a reckless assassination of character sponsored with the sole aim of tarnishing the hard- earned image of Governor Seyi Makinde and Chief Olabode George.
“The article discountenances morality. It is offensive, foul and noisome. It derides facts, scoffs at the truth, mangles reality to achieve some deviously hidden goal.
“We are shocked and disappointed that this kind of yellow-journalism can be smuggled into the once hallowed pages of the newspaper without proper gate-keeping and fact checks.
“It is even more disgusting to know that Mr Adeyemi, who is based in Ibadan, failed to cross check with the governor’s office or Chief Bode George the nature of the meeting held at Agodi Government House, Ibadan on June 19th.
“The governor had invited the elders and stakeholders of the party in the Southwest to reposition the party and reconcile and mend the broken places. Nothing more.
“How this selfless mission of the governor somehow turns into some dark scheming to remove the party chairman befuddles the imagination.”
The PDP also asked the newspaper to urgently issue a retraction and apology for the publication.
