Former Deputy National Chairman of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), Chief Bode George, has called on former Vice President Atiku Abubakar to relinquish his decades-long pursuit of the presidency.
He also cautioned Atiku against being “desperate” in his quest to contest again in 2027, stressing that the PDP is not a personal enterprise for any individual.
Speaking on Monday, George criticized Atiku’s approach to the 2023 elections and its aftermath, claiming it contributed to the current state of the party and the eventual victory of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
George expressed frustration over the events leading to the 2023 elections. He said, “in the build-up to the 2023 presidential election, I shouted myself hoarse about the crisis caused by Atiku Abubakar, Iyorchia Ayu, David Mark, and others. Pitiably, nobody listened. Where is Iyorchia Ayu today? He has simply disappeared.”
The elder statesman argued that Atiku and his allies undermined the party’s unity, paving the way for the All Progressives Congress (APC) to take power.
Bode George emphasized that the PDP belongs to all its members, rejecting the notion of any single individual controlling its affairs.
He further stated, “why is Atiku so desperate? Some of us won’t allow this desperation to destroy the party. PDP is not the private enterprise of any individual. I sat with him for hours before the 2023 elections, urging him to do the right thing, but he refused.”
George also criticized the idea of PDP members already working for Atiku’s potential 2027 campaign, asking why the party has not considered younger candidates, particularly from the southern regions.
Advising Atiku to step back from the political stage, George said, “he will be 81 in 2027 and has been contesting for the presidency since 1993. This is the time for you to calm down and act like an elder. I appeal to you in the name of Almighty Allah to take it easy and leave everything for posterity.”
He added that the PDP, as the “only true national party,” must not allow personal ambitions to undermine its cohesion. In contrast, he described the APC as “a mere congregation of strange bedfellows.”
George concluded by saying “the flood has the intention of destroying a house, but the landlord will not allow it.”
The statement has sparked widespread discussion within the party, raising questions about the PDP’s direction and leadership in the lead-up to the next election cycle.
