Former Deputy National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Chief Bode George, has announced his plan to retire from partisan politics after the 2023 elections.
He spoke in Lagos during a reception in honour of Arch. Setonji Koshedo, a chieftain of Lagos PDP who was recently elected as the new Deputy National Secretary of the PDP.
He said his plan to retire from partisan politics was due to health challenge, saying having served in the Navy for 25 years and spent another 25 years in active politics, he believes he has paid his due.
George also revealed that he recently underwent surgery and he needs time to fully recuperate.
He said, “I was discussing with my first child and he told me after my surgery that they will need me more now. I am 76 years now, I spent 25 years in the Navy and 25 years in politics. I said I will remove myself from partisan politics. I will be like an elder statesman but I will not be involved in partisan politics because by that time, I will be 78. Generals don’t retire, they only fade away. I was 42 when I became governor of old Ondo State.”
The Ex-governor also charged party members to follow the key tenets of the party such as justice, fairness and equity in discharging their duties.
“Our party must return sanity, truth, justice, predictability, fairness and equitable balance to our nation. That is our ultimate burden. That is our template of a new dawn,” he said.
“Let us return to the path of brotherhood and peaceful co-existence. Let us embrace civility and the liberating light of science. It is a welcome delight that our elections now will be conducted through electronic transmission of results. This will deepen the democratic process.
“This is the time to heal the wounds. This is the time to rectify the wrongs. This is the time to preach the bond of collective oneness. This is the time to forgive and forge a common union predicated on equity, pivoted on fairness, solidify on the premise of justice regardless of tribal or sectarian differences.”
