*Bode George Alleges FG Interference
Heavily armed security operatives on Monday disrupted a scheduled meeting of the Board of Trustees (BoT) of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) at the party’s Wadata Plaza headquarters in Abuja, citing ‘orders from above’.
The incident has sparked widespread outrage and allegations of federal government interference in the internal affairs of the country’s main opposition party.
The BoT meeting, which was convened to deliberate on the party’s deepening leadership crisis, was halted as members were barred from accessing the main hall by a combined team of police officers and operatives from the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC).
Among those locked out was Chief Bode George, a former PDP Deputy National Chairman (South West) and a prominent BoT member, who condemned the action in strong terms and accused the government of undermining democratic principles.
Speaking with journalists at the scene, Chief George warned against what he described as creeping authoritarianism, drawing comparisons to repressive regimes.
“Do you want to turn us into North Korea? Or transform this country into Russia? We will not allow it. Nigerians will not allow it,” he declared.
The PDP has been enmeshed in a power tussle centred on the controversial reinstatement of Senator Samuel Anyanwu as National Secretary and the planned 100th National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting. The BoT had raised concerns over what it described as unconstitutional decisions and sought to intervene through Monday’s meeting.
Asked what the next steps would be, Chief George was defiant. “Of course, we will hold the meeting today. We will hold the meeting,” he insisted.
He explained that the security personnel claimed they were acting on conflicting notices issued the previous day and were deployed to maintain law and order.
But George dismissed their justification, suggesting a more sinister motive.
“You can hear it, you know—biblically. This is the voice of Jacob, but the hand of Esau. Whoever issued the order from above, we’ve heard it before,” he said.
He called for restraint and urged the government to respect due process, warning that external interference would only worsen the crisis.
“The PDP is not a private enterprise. You don’t resolve its issues from the outside. You must sit down and talk,” he said.
George also urged the federal government to focus on the country’s mounting socioeconomic challenges rather than meddling in party affairs.
“We have more pressing problems—economic, financial, educational, and infrastructural. They should focus on those,” he said.
The disruption has heightened fears over the shrinking space for opposition voices in Nigeria’s democracy. Critics argue that the use of security forces to block lawful political meetings sets a dangerous precedent and erodes democratic norms.
“Let them be very careful. Everyone must be allowed to act in accordance with the law of the land,” Chief George cautioned.
As of the time of filing this report, the disrupted BoT meeting has been relocated to the Shehu Musa Yar’Adua Centre in Abuja’s Central Business District.