I never apologised to Bode George – Tinubu

The national leader of the All
Progressives Congress, Asiwaju
Bola Tinubu, has denied
apologising to the leader of the
Peoples Democratic Party in Lagos
State, Chief Bode George.
George had said during an
interview with the Sunday PUNCH
that Tinubu was responsible for his
imprisonment but had apologised
to him at the burial of the Deputy
President General of Nigerian
Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs,
Alhaji Abdul-Azeez Arisekola-Alao, in
Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, last
year.
However, Tinubu in a statement by
his media adviser, Mr. Sunday Dare,
said he never apologised to George
since he had nothing to do with
George’s incarceration.
He said although they both met at
Arisekola-Alao’s burial, their
conversation had nothing to do
with an apology.
He said, “Mr. George claims the
alleged apology was made at the
burial of Chief Alao-Arisekola. On
that date, personalities such as Oba
Otudeko and Governor Ajimobi
approached me because I did not
greet Mr. George initially. They
pleaded that, in the memory of the
man we were all gathered to
honour, I should greet Mr. George.
At their request, I turned back and
came to greet him by saying’Good
Afternoon Egbon (senior).’ That was
all.”
Tinubu, who is a former Governor of
Lagos State, said he could not have
been involved in the incarceration
of George since it was the Federal
Government that instituted the
case against him.
He said rather, it was people within
George’s party that orchestrated
his two-year jail term in Kirikiri
prison.
He explained that George, who has
since been exonerated by the
Supreme Court, was convicted of
‘invoice splitting’ which had
nothing to do with politics.
He said, “Mr. George seeks to imbue
me with more power than I could
possibly have. I am flattered but in
all humility I must protest the false
assessment. If he can remember,
the government of the day was that
of the PDP.”
“I have never had or sought much
influence in those circles. He was
charged by the government ruled
by his own party for an offence
concerning financial irregularities
at the Nigeria Port Authority, an
appointment he received from that
same government.
“It is an incredible tale indeed to
state that somehow I could direct a
party that tried to dismantle the
progressive political structure of
my party to bring down one of its
key members.
“The more plausible explanation
for his legal tribulation was that a
member of his own cabal blew the
whistle on Mr. George’s antics for
reasons that only he and that
person truly know. The rest is now
history.”