Former Deputy National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Bode George, has condemned the reported plan by Bayelsa State Governor, Douye Diri and Enugu State Governor, Peter Mbah, to defect to the All Progressives Congress (APC).
George described the move as “shameless, shambolic, annoying and disgraceful,” stressing that it is an insult to the electorate who entrusted them with their mandates on the PDP platform.
Naijaonpoint understands that Mbah and Diri are widely expected to formally defect to the APC on October 14, although the party leadership in both states has kept mum on the issue.
Reacting to speculations that the governors and other PDP leaders may be under pressure to join the ruling party, George, in an interview with Vanguard, said there was no justification for such fears.
George said, “I don’t know if they are being blackmailed but that should not be an issue. Why are they afraid? You must be a public servant. They should consider the people who voted for them. If they have done something in the secret, there is no way their secret will not be exposed. They should not be afraid of that.”
The PDP stalwart warned that Nigeria risked sliding into a one-party system if the defections continued, a situation he described as unacceptable.
He further stated, “That will be the greatest failure of this nation. We all cannot be in the same boat. If their (APC) government was performing, I don’t think Nigerians will complain. It is despicable.
“There is hunger and anger in the land and some governors are jumping ship to the APC. Like we say in the Navy, if you are jumping ship, you must ensure the rope tied around your waist is tight and good.”
George insisted that the governors owed Nigerians an explanation for abandoning the party under which they were elected.
He stated, “Did they go back to the people who gave them their mandate to tell them of their intention? The people gave them their mandate because they believed in the course of the party. It is shameless and shambolic. They must tell us what attracted them to the APC.”
The PDP chieftain maintained that no amount of defections would guarantee the APC political dominance, adding that Nigerians would speak at the ballot box in 2027.
He added, “They cannot turn Nigeria into a one party state. It’s not possible. The APC does not do what we do in the PDP but they (APC) will be shocked what Nigerians will do to them in 2027.”
© 2025 Naijaonpoint, a division of NOP Media Inc. Contact us via [email protected]