A chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Bode George, has stated that former vice president Atiku Abubakar and the 2023 presidential candidate of the Labour Party, Peter Obi, are aligning with a party already sinking.
Speaking during an appearance on Channels Television, he expressed shock that the duo decided to join the opposition coalition.
He accused Atiku and other PDP stalwarts defecting to the African Democratic Congress, ADC, of fuelling the crisis currently rocking the opposition party.
He stated, “Those who created the PDP crisis are the ones leaving. We are holding our NEC meeting in the coming week, and when we meet, we will discuss the programme of the party.
“We will approve all the committees that are going to handle the convention of the party.
“The fact that we are in a position to hold that meeting, you will see at the end that the Iroko tree has been resurrected.
“I am shocked that Obi, Atiku, and others are jumping into a ship that is already sinking.”
Meanwhile, George has described Peter Obi’s alignment with the African Democratic Congress (ADC)-led coalition as confusing and counterproductive.
Naijaonpoint reports that George made the remarks during an interview on Arise News, where he called on prominent opposition figures, many of whom are PDP veterans, to return to the party if they are serious about unseating President Bola Tinubu in 2027.
George noted that while the PDP had experienced internal crises in recent years, particularly over issues like INEC signatory disputes, the party had made significant strides in resolving them. He believes this provides a foundation for unification ahead of the next general elections.
“When I saw Obi there, I was wondering what he was doing there,” George stated.
“Which of them had not been part of PDP? Do you disown your father’s house?”
He added: “We were in crisis for quite a while because of the issue of who would sign to INEC, but we’ve been able to resolve that. People who matter are the electorate. The voice of the people is the voice of God. I have no qualms in my mind about PDP not being able to do it.”
He criticised what he described as self-centredness and selfishness among political actors who have left the PDP, implying that personal ambitions, rather than national interest, were driving the new coalition.
2027 Coalition
Naijaonpoint reports that the emerging coalition, which has attracted heavyweights such as Atiku Abubakar, Chibuike Amaechi, David Mark, and Nasir El-Rufai, has set its sights on ousting Tinubu in 2027.
However, George warned that fragmenting the opposition would only strengthen the incumbent’s chances.
“You want to kick Bola out in 2027 and you want to divide the house?” he asked.