Member of the Board of Trustees of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Chief Bode George, has issued a stark warning against the possible emergence of former Vice President Atiku Abubakar as the party’s presidential flagbearer for the 2027 general elections.
Speaking on Channels Television’s Politics Today on Monday night, George did not mince words: “If he (Atiku) picks it (PDP’s ticket), that is the end of this party. If he picks it by manipulation, which was what was done the last time, we will not accept it.”
Atiku, the PDP’s standard-bearer in the 2023 elections, has been a recurring figure in Nigeria’s political landscape, having contested for the presidency six times across different political platforms. Despite losing to incumbent President Bola Tinubu in the last election, Atiku has remained politically active, most recently leading efforts to forge a coalition of opposition forces aimed at unseating the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in 2027.
That coalition, unveiled on March 20, 2025, brought together prominent figures including former Anambra State Governor Peter Obi and ex-Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai.
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The alliance is banking on the combined electoral strength of Atiku and Obi, who together garnered over 12 million votes in 2023 surpassing Tinubu’s winning tally by over four million.
But George, an influential voice within the PDP, remains unimpressed by Atiku’s moves. He praised the party’s governors for distancing themselves from the coalition and reaffirmed the need for internal stability and fairness.
“I applaud our governors for putting on their thinking caps,” he said. “They saw through the self-serving nature of this so-called coalition. Atiku has not acted like a leader. A true party leader would have stepped in to resolve the internal crisis we’re facing.”
He further argued that Atiku’s presidential ambition does not align with the PDP’s long-standing zoning arrangement. Citing the party’s constitution, George said rotational presidency remains a non-negotiable principle.
“There are rules—Section 7, Subsection 3C of our constitution clearly states that after eight years in the North, power should return to the South,” he said. “We’ve had eight years under President Buhari from the North. It’s time for the South. Is Atiku from the South-West, South-South, or South-East?”
While he acknowledged Atiku’s constitutional right to contest under any platform, George was adamant that the PDP must field a southern candidate if it hopes to reclaim power in 2027.
“I don’t want Tinubu to return, but I also don’t want this party to go down because of one man’s ambition. We must present a credible southern candidate who can truly unify and revive the PDP.”
© Ripples Nigeria
