Bode George warns PDP: “Atiku’s candidacy in 2027 could spell doom for the Party”

Prominent chieftain and member of the Board of Trustees of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Chief Bode George, has issued a stern warning against the potential emergence of former Vice President Atiku Abubakar as the party’s presidential candidate for the 2027 general elections.Speaking during an interview on Politics Today, a Channels Television programme aired Monday night, George cautioned that Atiku’s candidacy could irreparably damage the PDP. His words were pointed and unequivocal.

“If he (Atiku) picks it (the PDP ticket), that is the end of this party,” George declared. “If he picks it by manipulation, which was what was done the last time, we will not accept it.”Atiku, who served as the PDP’s flag bearer in the 2023 presidential election, has remained a recurring name in Nigeria’s political arena.



Despite six attempts at the presidency across different platforms and a recent loss to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Atiku has continued to assert himself in national politics.Most recently, he spearheaded the formation of a new opposition coalition unveiled on March 20, 2025. The alliance includes key political figures such as former Anambra State Governor Peter Obi and former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai.

The coalition is premised on uniting electoral forces to unseat the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in 2027. Atiku and Obi, who collectively garnered over 12 million votes in 2023—outpacing Tinubu’s tally by more than four million—are seen as the coalition’s political powerhouses.However, Chief George remains unimpressed by Atiku’s efforts, describing the coalition as a self-serving initiative rather than a unifying force.

READ ALSO: PDP governors disown opposition, declare non-participation in 2027 allianceHe commended PDP governors who have distanced themselves from the alliance and instead prioritized internal party unity and stability.“I applaud our governors for putting on their thinking caps,” George stated. “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.”George also took aim at Atiku’s eligibility under the PDP’s zoning principle, a core tenet he insists must be respected.

Citing the party’s constitution, he reiterated that the presidency should rotate to the South following President Muhammadu Buhari’s eight-year tenure, which ended in 2023.“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,” George 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 acknowledging Atiku’s constitutional right to run for office, George was categorical in his stance that the PDP must prioritize national balance and cohesion by choosing a Southern candidate.“I don’t want Tinubu to return, but I also don’t want this party to go down because of one man’s ambition,” he warned.

“We must present a credible Southern candidate who can truly unify and revive the PDP.”As the countdown to the 2027 elections begins in earnest, George’s remarks underscore the simmering tensions within Nigeria’s main opposition party and highlight the complex internal dynamics it must resolve to remain politically viable.The post Bode George warns PDP: “Atiku’s candidacy in 2027 could spell doom for the Party” appeared first on National Daily Newspaper.

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