Bode George, a senior figure in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), has warned that the party risks total collapse if former Vice President Atiku Abubakar is fielded as its presidential candidate in the 2027 elections.
George, who sits on the PDP’s Board of Trustees, made the remark on Monday during an appearance on Channels Television’s Politics Today.
“If Atiku were truly the leader of the party, he would have been fully involved in party affairs. The fact that he was the presidential candidate in the last election does not automatically make him a bona fide or permanent leader of the PDP,” he said.
“If he is pursuing his own private interest, that is entirely different from the interest of the party.
“He (Atiku) cannot be the presidential candidate of the PDP in 2027. I maintain that since the north has had the presidency for eight years, it is only fair and just for the south to have its turn for another eight years. That is the doctrine and foundation of the PDP.
“Now, I can’t say Atiku cannot contest—he has the constitutional right to do so. He can go to any other party and contest.
“But if he picks the PDP ticket in 2027, that will be the end of this party. I want to make it clear: if he (Atiku) secures the ticket (PDP) through any form of manipulation—as happened the last time—we will not accept it.”
Atiku Abubakar, who ran as the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presidential candidate in the 2023 election, was defeated by Bola Tinubu of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
Ahead of the 2023 PDP primaries, several party stakeholders—including a group of five governors—called for the presidential ticket to be zoned to the South, in line with the party’s rotational agreement. The demand intensified as then-President Muhammadu Buhari, a northerner from Katsina State, was concluding his second term.
Following Atiku’s emergence as the party’s flagbearer, some members withheld their support, deepening internal divisions within the PDP.
In the lead-up to the 2027 elections, talks of a coalition to challenge the ruling APC have gained momentum, with Atiku reportedly at the forefront of these efforts. Opposition leaders have been engaged in high-level consultations aimed at forming a united front.
However, in a surprising turn on Monday, PDP governors dismissed the possibility of any merger or alliance with other political parties ahead of 2027.
, has warned that the party risks total collapse if former Vice President Atiku Abubakar is fielded as its presidential candidate in the 2027 elections.){kind=link}