Former President Olusegun Obasanjo on Saturday visited the Ikoyi, Lagos residence of former National Deputy Chairman, Southwest of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Bode George.
The visit was to commiserate with George over the death of his son and to settle the political rift between the two retired military officers.
George’s son, Dipo, died in a Lagos hospital in May at the age of 42.
A statement signed by Obasanjo’s media aide, Kehinde Akinyemi, said the former president led some top aides and loyalists to the residence of the former military administrator of Ondo State, where he urged him to take solace in God over the demise of the son.
Obasanjo was quoted as saying, “We cannot query God, but to only take solace in what He has done to you.
“If this did not happen, who knows what next that will happen? I have not been around but it was on my mind to come over and commiserate with you and the family. May God grant the deceased eternal rest.”
George’s sister, Alhaja Majolagbe, in her vote of thanks, declared that the longstanding rift between the two was over with the visit.
“We are all shocked when this started,” she said. “But, today, the devil has been put to shame.
“The evil this morning has been condemned outside this house. It will never come to these two great Nigerians anymore.
“The time has come back again when my brother will find Otta his home. It is over, Allah takes all thanks.”
George, a former military governor of Ondo State, was appointed chairman of the board of the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) by the then President Obasanjo in 1999.
He was reportedly close to Obasanjo allegedly given preference in the sale of houses in Lagos.
In 2015, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) accused George of contract splitting and inflation of contract price in utter disregard to laid-down government rules and regulations.
He was convicted in 2018 but the sentence was eventually overturned by the Supreme Court which ruled that the EFCC had no evidence that George intended to commit fraud at the NPA, and the charges of “contract splitting” was unknown to law.
In a 2017 interview with sunnewsonline.com, George said: “My disappointment with Baba was that when I was released from prison, and my supporters came rejoicing with me, and I was given a heroic welcome, Obasanjo said we were celebrating criminality. That means that Obasanjo who I was extremely loyal to, also believe that I truly committed the crime.”
