After about two years in confinement, former Nigerian Ports Authority Chairman, Bode George, walked out of the Kirikiri Prisons on Saturday at 10.46am looking very ebullient and refreshed.
Clad in white flowing lace with his luscious moustache and sprinkle of grey hair on his head, the bespectacled Peoples Democratic Party chieftain who was jailed two years ago on corruption charges beamed with smiles as he breathed air of freedom once again.
With a convoy of vehicles, hordes of supporters and party faithful, his release that ordinarily would have been solemn, turned out to be a carnival of some sorts.
Indeed, the moment he left the prison’s gate at about 10.50am, he waved to his supporters before entering a metallic black Toyota Land Cruiser en-route for a thanksgiving at the Cathedral Church of Christ, Marina, Lagos.
George whose church service attracted former President Olusegun Obasanjo; Ogun State Governor, Otunba Gbenga Daniel, and the Minister of Defence, Adetokunbo Kayode (SAN) among others was, however, admonished to go and sin no more.
Delivering a sermon entitled, ‘A minister and a witness,’ Ven. Tayo Aduloju said, “If you are involved in any shady deal; if you are found anywhere elections are rigged; and partake in any form of manipulation, it means you have not learnt anything from your experience. Real power belongs to God. It does not belong to PDP. It does not belong to any president.
“As from today, you are expected to represent Christ. You are an ambassador of Christ. Never again will the name of God be soiled through you.”
Aduloju also charged politicians to shun thuggery, rigging and avarice so as to return the country on the path of decency.
He said, “Shun thuggery. Shun violence. Shun greed. Shun rigging and whatever that can cause trouble.”
Obasanjo arrived at the venue in company with the factional governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party in Ogun State, Gen. Tunji Olurin (retd); Kayode, and the Nigeria’s ambassador to Ghana, Senator Musiliu Obanikoro. He was greeted by Daniel and he responded by patting his hand.
Also, in attendance were former governor of Ekiti State, Ayo Fayose and the PDP National Vice-Chairman, South-West, Alhaji Tajudeen Oladipo, and the party’s governorship candidate in Lagos State, Dr. Ade Dosunmu.
However, addressing journalists at his Ikoyi residence, George said, “Nigerians made me comfortable by coming to visit me at the prison everyday and they have made me to reposition my mind. I will reposition my mind and serve my party normally.
“Now there is a job at hand for us to do and now is the time for us to win Lagos State with this kind of loyalty we have seen. President Goodluck Jonathan will be around on Tuesday, we have to cause Tsunami in Lagos so that other parties will (get the) jitters.”
George and five others were on October 26, 2009 sentenced to two years imprisonment without an option of fine by an Ikeja High Court presided over by Justice Joseph Oyewole over charges bearing on abuse of office and award of N100bn contract without due process.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission had, in August 2008, arraigned him and the other accused on 163-charge but reduced it to 68 on October 24, 2008.
The five others who served the jail term with George are former NPA Managing Director, Mr. Aminu Dabo; Messrs Olusegun Abidoye, Abdullahi Tafida, Zanna Maidaribe and Sule Aliyu.
Meanwhile, security operatives and Nigerian Prisons officials had hectic time controlling the crowd that thronged the Krikiri Prisons earlier in the day to witness the release of the politician.
At 5.38am, many PDP faithful and other associates of the politician who converged on the prison’s gate, sang, and danced as they awaited for his release so as to escort him to the church for the thanksgiving.
The supporters who turned out in large numbers wore white, blue and lemon green coloured T-shirts bearing the image of George.
There were also posters printed to welcome him and one of them bore the inscription “Olabode George, Joseph of our time.”
It was also a field day for hoodlums who ensured that they collected money from some chieftains of the party like the Deputy Governor of Oyo State, Alhaji Taofeek Arapaja, before they gained entry into the prison yard.
The Punch
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