By kawaekwune Jeffrey
A former Deputy National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and one time military governor of old Ondo State, Chief Bode George has warned former Vice President Atiku Abubakar to stay away from making efforts to contest in the 2027 presidential elections.
Bode George, who has slso been a member of the PDP Board of Trustees and erstwhile Chairman of the Board of Nigeria Ports Authority(NPA) said the best option for the former Vice Presudent is to wait until 2031 when it would be the turn of the North to produce the president of Nigeria going by the zoning arrangement in the PDP.
George emphasized the necessity for a southerner to hold the presidency from 2023 to 2031, citing the PDP’s constitution and the political realities of Nigeria.
George pointed out that Atiku, who contested in the 2023 presidential election, would be 81 years old by 2027 and should naturally step aside for a younger leadership. He referenced U.S. President Joe Biden’s decision to make way for Kamala Harris as an example of statesmanship that Atiku could follow.
The PDP elder stressed that the party’s constitution underlines the importance of zoning and rotation to ensure fairness and justice. He argued that it would not be appropriate for a northerner to seek the presidency in 2027, especially after former President Muhammadu Buhari, from the North, ruled for eight years.
George, who has been a PDP member since 1998, urged that these principles be respected. He advised Atiku to wait until 2031 if he still desires to contest for the presidency, by which time he would be 85 years old. He dismissed accusations of tribalism, pointing to his long history of relationships with northern politicians and his commitment to national service. George concluded by reaffirming his dedication to the party’s zoning system, which has been in place since the party’s founding in 1998.
