A former Deputy National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, Bode George, has rejected the newly floated political coalition involving former Senate President, David Mark, former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar, and other top PDP figures.
Naijaonpoint reports that George, on Wednesday, described the coalition as “divisive” and a betrayal of the party’s foundational principles.
George, a prominent elder statesman in the PDP, made his position known in a phone interview with the Sun Newspaper on Wednesday, cautioning party stakeholders against shifting the presidential ticket back to the North in 2027.
Speaking on the unveiling of the Coalition, George likened the party’s internal crisis to a leaking roof, stressing that true party faithful should stay and fix the problems rather than seek escape routes.
He said, “If your house is leaking and you are the landlord, what do you do? You sleep there and repair it. Some of our leaders want to jump ship instead of resolving our issues. That’s not how to rebuild a party.”
He accused some high-ranking members of scheming to undermine the party’s zoning agreement and warned that any attempt to rotate the 2027 presidential ticket back to the North would be firmly resisted.
George issued a stern warning to those allegedly plotting to hand the PDP presidential ticket back to the North, stating, “No sir, no sir, no sir. That was not the North’s turn as established by the PDP, and we will never change it.”
According to him, the zoning formula remains sacrosanct and must be respected if the party hopes to regain public trust.
Looking ahead, George reaffirmed his support for a northern presidency, but only in 2031.
He further stated, “Until 2031, the presidency will go back to the North, and I would lead that campaign. I have led such campaigns before.”
The PDP stalwart also distanced the party from President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration, saying the PDP must present a credible and untainted candidate in the next election cycle.
He said, “We are not Tinubu’s party. We would present a responsible, dependable, commendable, and loyal personality with good character.”
George concluded his remarks with a biblical allusion, pledging to play an active role in rebuilding the PDP he said, “We would repair the broken walls. We would build them back like Nehemiah in the Bible.”