Wike’s Aide Urges Bode George to Act as Elder Statesman

By Stanley Onyekwere

Lere Olayinka, Senior Special Assistant on Public Communications and Social Media to the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has urged former Deputy National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Chief Bode George, to adopt a more measured public posture and conduct himself as an elder statesman.

In a statement, Olayinka said that, given Chief George’s long career in public service, including his tenure as Military Governor of Ondo State in 1988, he should exercise greater restraint instead of making frequent media appearances to criticise younger political figures.

Olayinka also questioned Chief George’s leadership record within the Lagos State chapter of the PDP. He noted that while other South-West states, including Ogun, Ondo, Ekiti, Oyo and Osun, have produced PDP governors, the party has remained out of power in Lagos State since 1999.

He further alleged that Chief George has historically struggled to deliver victory for the PDP even in his own polling unit.

The statement also referenced several public declarations allegedly made by Chief George between 2015 and 2022, in which he reportedly vowed to renounce his Nigerian citizenship or relocate to neighbouring countries such as Ghana or Togo if Bola Ahmed Tinubu became President.

According to Olayinka, despite President Tinubu having spent more than three years in office, Chief George has not acted on those statements, a situation he argued affects the former PDP chieftain’s public credibility.

Responding to recent comments on real estate ownership, Olayinka reiterated Minister Nyesom Wike’s position regarding a property allegedly linked to Chief George in Abuja.

He said that while Chief George maintains that he purchased the property through an agent from a private owner, the Minister’s concern centres on the alleged original source of the funds used for the acquisition, which Wike claims originated from Rivers State.