Former Deputy National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Chief Olabode George, has cautioned the party against giving its 2027 presidential ticket to former Vice President Atiku Abubakar.
In an interview on Wednesday, George stated that allowing Atiku, who was the PDP presidential candidate in 2015, 2019, and 2023, to run again would spell disaster for the party in the next general election.
He accused Atiku and his allies of disregarding the interests of Southern Nigeria, particularly in the buildup to the 2023 elections.
George recalled how the handling of the party’s affairs alienated key southern stakeholders, including the G-6 governors led by former Rivers State Governor Nyesom Wike, who ultimately worked against the PDP’s victory.
“Atiku does not have the South’s interests at heart. Under his leadership, the South West was completely sidelined, and he even suggested that positions would be allocated after the election, which we outrightly rejected,” George said.
The former military administrator of Ondo State insisted that it would be unjust for another Northerner to secure the PDP ticket in 2027.
“It would be a slap, a blatant act of cheating, and a complete disrespect to the South if the PDP fields another Northerner in 2027. No reasonable southerner would fully campaign for a Northern candidate at this time. The South must complete its rightful turn before the presidency returns to the North in 2031,” he asserted.
Commenting on the prospects of former Anambra State Governor Peter Obi, who ran on the Labour Party (LP) platform in 2023, George argued that Obi’s presidential ambition could only be realized within the PDP.
“I have nothing against Obi; he is from the South. But the truth is that he cannot win the presidency under the fragmented Labour Party, which lacks the necessary structure across the 36 states. LP is not strong enough to challenge President Bola Tinubu and the All Progressives Congress (APC) in 2027,” he said.
He further emphasized that PDP remains the only party with the national presence, deep-rooted structure, and electoral strength needed to defeat the APC. However, he cautioned that Tinubu’s re-election should not be assumed as guaranteed, stating:
“I don’t believe Tinubu’s re-election will be as easy as some people think. But PDP can only remove him if the party’s leadership prioritizes fairness, justice, and equity in its decision-making.”
George also made a direct appeal to Nyesom Wike, the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, urging him to reconsider his position on the PDP.
“Wike and others may have been hurt, but the country’s interest should come first. It is time to put personal grievances aside for the greater good of Nigeria,” he advised.
He also called on Nigerians discontented with the country’s economic challenges under Tinubu’s administration to rally behind the PDP, arguing that the party provided better governance than the APC.
“Nigeria was not in this dire state under PDP. Even former President Goodluck Jonathan’s administration, which was heavily criticized by the APC, managed the country far better than what we are experiencing today.”
George warned against what he described as undue federal interference in the political affairs of Lagos, Rivers, and Osun states, as well as the ongoing controversy over the Kano Emirate.
He cautioned that such meddling could escalate tensions and threaten national security if not handled with care.
As a long-term solution to Nigeria’s governance challenges, George reiterated his call for restructuring, insisting that the country must embrace true federalism to overcome its systemic problems.
