EXCERPTS FROM BODE GEORGE'S INTERVIEW ON LAGOS CHOICE:
The president said politics is like the military, you read and follow the body language of your superiors and follow, he said he didn’t have any preferred candidate, but if there is one name that is reverberating all over the place, including the other side, that kind of person will also be his own preferred candidate!
I will answer it exactly the way the president answered his own when he came to visit us in Lagos. I think it was Senator Bucknor-Akerele who asked the same pertinent question. She said to the president: ‘Mr President, I am told that you have a preferred candidate.
’ President Jonathan said, ‘no, I don’t have any preferred candidate. But everywhere I went, I heard one name, to my left, right, centre and even back.’ He also said that some of his friends outside were mentioning the same name. In this game, all members of the party, as a leader, are your children. But, I come from a profession that, when you look at your boss, you don’t start creating your own wakes. Politics and military operation are similar although they are not completely the same. You watch the wakes of your oga and you fall in line.
The president said he didn’t have any preferred candidate, but if there is one name that is reverberating all over the place, including the other side, that kind of person will also be his own preferred candidate. Because it is a lot of money to get the forms for the aspirants. He said they should tarry and be careful and that they should go into serious retrospection and do a deep-seated thinking not to waste their money. As a naval officer, I will say don’t swim against the tide, that is putting it in a milder form. He said they should try and work together. For me, that was purely advisory. The voice of your Papa, when he is advising you, must not be thrown into the dustbin. Listen to the voice of your leader and elders. I told many of them, this game is not just about us alone doing election; it has a link all the way; even Saturday ward congresses, will have an effect on the national election. So, the first step is very important and you watch your leaderm like we say in politics. The leaders are also having meetings with the aspirants, those that we can convince. Let’s reduce the number because N12 million is a big money and is non-refundable. President Jonathan said he would still come back and see how best we are able to manage the reduction of the aspirants.
Tribuneng
