How Bode George Denied Lagos Ministerial Seat From Prison Bode George...

It was former National Deputy Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Chief Olabode George who denied Lagos State from having a minister in the cabinet of President Goodluck Jonathan when he took over as substantive president after the death of Alhaji Umaru Musa Yar’Adua and this is authoritative. Thegazellenews.com exclusive investigation revealed like its usual practice, the Presidency asked all state chapters of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to submit three names each from which ministers would be picked to represent the states in the cabinet. This was immediately after Jonathan was sworn-in as substantive president after Yar’Adua’s death.
The Lagos State chapter then shortlisted three names for consideration in order of preference: Bode Oyedele, Tunde Salau and Moshood Salvador. However there was the need for Bode George who was still regarded as the leader of the party in state to append his signature before the list could be forwarded to Aso Rock.
Being a ‘resident’ of Kirikiri Maximum Prisons then, the list was taken to him there and in his usual authoritative manner, George ruled out the nominees picked by the state chapters and minuted on the list typed on the letter head of the party in the state that rather than picked any of the three nominees forwarded by the party, the Presidency should re-appoint Demola Seriki who was the Minister of State for Defence before the Yar’Adua cabinet was dissolved. George’s minuted message on the list forwarded to the Presidency was signed and dated 24th March, 2010.
It was an open secret that during the Yar’Adua’s sickness issue and the attendant succession crisis, Seriki was an avowed supporter of Yar’Adua and was one of those who worked hard to prevent Jonathan from taken over from the ailing Yar’Adua even as acting President. So it would be fool hardy for Jonathan to pick such person as a minister in his substantive cabinet.
That was how George’s authoritative posture cost the state a ministerial position in the first substantive cabinet of Goodluck Ebele Jonathan.
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