&w=64&q=75)
A chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Chief Bode George, has ruled out any possibility of taking up an appointment in President Bola Tinubu's administration.
George said this in response to speculations in some quarters linking his recent reconciliatory gesture towards Tinubu to a quest for a seat at the presidential table.
Though he admitted that he's too old for a national appointment, the PDP chieftain said he would nominate competent candidates from his party for the President, if he's asked to do so.
George, who is also a former Deputy National Chairman of the PDP, has been a longtime critic of Tinubu, but recently changed his tone following a peace move brokered by some senior indigenes of Lagos State.
The reconciliation effort, which came at the behest of the President, was led by Prince Tajudeen Olusi, the leader of the Governance Advisory Council (GAC) - the apex leadership of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in Lagos State.
In an interview with The Punch, George explained that he agreed to the peace proposal for peace to reign and also in deference to those who intervened in the matter.
He stated, “On this, people are only talking rubbish and they need to shut up. This man (Tinubu) is just starting and we said my party was still in court. They said we should let bygones be bygones. In the Bible, it is very clear that vengeance is only with God Almighty and you don’t continue fighting when everybody has persuaded you that it’s enough.
“All those saying I want an appointment don’t know what they are saying. What exactly do they want to happen to the young ones coming up? I said I have forgiven him. We had an issue and people settled it for us and I have forgotten about it.”
Asked whether or not he would accept an appointment from the government if offered, he stated, “I will give him people that have the knowledge from the party having been a manager of the party for years. If he says he wants me to help him get someone, there are millions of young people who still have all the energy to run around and not me.
“It is not for me, because I am not looking for a job. But if he calls me, we will discuss it before the party leaders, put heads together and nominate from our side somebody who is still young, agile, has the knowledge and can add value to this country.”
On why he hasn't congratulated Tinubu, George said such action would amount to a betrayal of his party because the PDP was still contesting the outcome of the presidential election in court.