Bode George Urges Atiku, Other PDP Leaders to Abandon Opposition Coalition and Return to Party

Former Deputy National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Chief Olabode George, has called on former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and other prominent party figures to remain loyal to the PDP and work towards its revival rather than aligning with the emerging coalition led by the African Democratic Congress (ADC).

Speaking on Thursday in Lagos at an event tagged “Restitution of Restoration,” George appealed to party stalwarts including former Senate President David Mark, said to be spearheading the opposition coalition, to reconsider their stance and return to the PDP fold.

George described the PDP as a formidable political force with deep roots and unmatched nationwide reach, arguing that the platform remains the best vehicle for serving the political interests of its members.

“There is no coalition in today’s Nigeria that can be stronger than the PDP,” he said. “This is a reborn political party that has weathered many storms and cannot be pushed aside. All these leaders must return to this iroko political party.”

The elder statesman insisted that history had shown that similar opposition coalitions in the past had yielded little or no tangible result, urging party leaders not to repeat what he described as a “fruitless experiment.”

He added that abandoning the PDP in pursuit of alternative platforms is tantamount to betraying the sacrifices of the founding fathers of the party. “It is a disservice to the party whose platform they used to attain high positions in the country,” he said.

George further argued that the recent internal crisis that rocked the PDP had been resolved, and that peace had returned to the party at the national level. He maintained that all justifications given by aggrieved members for forming a new coalition were no longer valid.

“This party has bounced back. The storm is over. Those who reached the peak of their careers through the PDP must think deeply before abandoning it,” George said.

He emphasised that the party’s decision to zone the 2027 presidential ticket to the South remains intact, reiterating that the PDP would uphold the principles of equity and justice in its power-sharing arrangement.

“What is the contention now? Is it about presidential ambition? Positions in the PDP are zoned, and this is rooted in our founding history,” he said. “Zoning helped stabilise Nigeria’s democracy after the fall of the First and Second Republics.”

George concluded by urging party members contemplating defection to stay back and contribute to rebuilding the PDP as a credible opposition capable of rescuing Nigeria’s democracy.