The proposed visit to the former National Vice Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), South West, Chief Ibiyinka Olabode George, in Kirikiri Prison, Lagos has polarised the party hierarchy into two distinct factions.

Daily Sun investigations revealed that, while the Wadata Plaza, Abuja seat of the party is in total support of the visit, originally planned for today, the South West zone of the party, which is the immediate constituency of the recently convicted party big wig, is said to be highly apprehensive about the planned visit.

The reason, allegedly being adduced by the zone under the leadership of the party’s National Vice Chairman, Alhaji Tajudeen Oladipo, is that such a visit will put a big question mark on the sincerity of the Yar’Adua’s administration’s touted war against corruption in the country.
A party insider, who spoke with our correspondent on condition of anonymity even went a step further to say that, “our zone would have loved to see one or two more heavyweights thrown to jail over corruption.”

He however made it abundantly clear that, “though that does not mean that we should throw Bode George out like that or deny and reject him, we prefer behind the scene interactions with him to an open one that would portray our party as an haven of criminal minded people.”
He said that much as Bode George remained a part of PDP, it would be more advisable to wait for the outcome of his appeal before openly throwing the party machinery into the matter.

But a section of the top hierarchy of the party is said to be of the strong conviction that, leaving one of their own to his fate would not speak well of the party vis a vis its much touted “members of the same family” thing that the party has been mouthing all about.
The section, which Daily Sun learnt might have the support and blessing of the National Secretary of the party, Alhaji Abubakar Baraje, prefers open interaction with Chief Bode George to secret dealing with him. It said it would amount to national deceit if the party would interact with George in secret while denying him in public.

That faction views secret dealing with him as betrayal of trust going by what they perceived as Chief George immense contribution to the party, most especially in the South Western zone of the country.
A stalwart of the PDP from the South East geo-political zone, who pleaded anonymity threw his support behind the South West thinking that, to identify openly with their convicted member would amount to endorsement of the crime allegedly committed by the convict.
To him, the anti corruption war should be allowed to consume one or more top notchers across board in the country to give the PDP Federal Government the much needed credibility.

“It would amount to double standard for the same members of the party that forms the government, to turn round to embark on a solidarity visit to some one who is said to have run foul of the law made by the same government,” the PDP stalwart reasoned.
Members on the two divides, according to Daily Sun findings, are said to have held tightly to their positions so much that, today’s controversial visit to the Kirikiri new abode of Bode George has the potential of causing an intractable crisis that may affect the PDP adversely in 2011.

http://www.sunnewsonline.com/webpages/news/national/2009/nov/10/national-10-11-2009-00-007.htm

This should not be NEWS because 99% of PDP members are CRIMINALS. A whole lot of them should be in different prisons in the country too. Only time will tell. I am praying fervently that Buhari gets to Aso Rock Soon. He wont spare any of them