PDP Turmoil Deepens: Bode George Slams Atiku’s Visit to Buhari, Warns of Northern Agenda
The internal crisis rocking the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has taken a dramatic twist as a prominent chieftain, Chief Bode George, launched a scathing attack on former Vice President Atiku Abubakar for his recent meeting with ex-President Muhammadu Buharia key figure of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
Chief George, a former Deputy National Chairman of the PDP, did not mince words as he accused Atiku of sidelining the party’s leadership and structures in pursuit of what he described as a self-serving coalition plan that threatens the soul of the PDP.
Appearing on Arise Television’s “The Morning Show” on Tuesday, George expressed dismay that Atiku chose to meet Buhari who trounced him in the 2019 elections over rallying core PDP stakeholders to strengthen the opposition ahead of 2027.
“You’re a member of a solid organization. You want to pull out and run to General Buhari who beat you like a child in 2019—for validation? Is Buhari now the head of the opposition? Is PDP now your private company?” George thundered.
He questioned the sincerity and inclusivity of the so-called “mega party” Atiku is pushing, describing it as a thinly veiled attempt to hijack power within the opposition space for personal gain.
“Look at the people in that meeting northerners only. Where were the southern voices? What’s the real agenda here? Is it to unite the opposition or to divide Nigeria down north-south lines?” he asked.
The move, George warned, risks not only fracturing the PDP but could fuel deeper ethnic divisions in a country already struggling with political imbalance and regional discontent.
He further accused Atiku of consistently undermining the PDP’s zoning principle, a gentleman’s agreement that balances presidential power between Nigeria’s north and south. According to George, Atiku’s relentless ambition to secure the party’s presidential ticket—for a third consecutive time—ignores the spirit of equity that once held the PDP together.
“He got the ticket in 2019. He got it again in 2023. Now he’s coming again? Is this a democracy or a monarchy? The PDP does not belong to Atiku. It belongs to all of us.”
George called on PDP faithful to reject any coalition born outside the party’s democratic processes and warned that aligning with Buhari an ideological adversary of the PDP could erode the party’s credibility and purpose.
“You want to build a mega party with someone we fought tooth and nail to unseat? What does that say about our values, our loyalty, and our memory?”
Rather than indulging Atiku’s ambitions, George urged party members to regroup and rebuild the PDP from within, stressing unity, accountability, and internal democracy as the keys to reclaiming power in 2027.
“Let’s come home and fix our party. Let us not mortgage our future on the altar of one man’s ambition.”
With mounting internal friction, Atiku’s coalition plans may ignite a fresh round of rebellion within the PDP ranks one that could reshape Nigeria’s political landscape long before the ballots of 2027 are cast.
Reference
PDP Turmoil Deepens: Bode George Slams Atiku’s Visit to Buhari, Warns of Northern Agenda