*Party Elder Faults Atiku, Others for Defections, Calls for Return to the Fold A chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and member ...
*Party Elder Faults Atiku, Others for Defections, Calls for Return to the Fold
A chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and member of its Board of Trustees (BoT), Chief Olabode George, has declared that the African Democratic Congress (ADC) lacks the political weight and structure to rival the PDP.
Speaking in Lagos on Tuesday at an event tagged “PDP Restoration”, George criticised former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and other defectors for abandoning the party that once elevated them to prominence, only to repeat what he described as “past political errors.”
“These are men who benefitted optimally as the number two and three citizens of the country,” George said, in reference to Atiku and former Senate President David Mark. “They were mentored, respected, and uplifted by this party. And yet, they are now decimating the same PDP that gave them relevance.”
He warned that defecting to smaller political parties such as the ADC would only lead to diminished influence, stressing that such platforms face an uncertain political future.
“They should know that their new group cannot match the PDP, which is an iroko tree,” he said. “They left before and came back. They should return again.”
Flanked by other PDP elders, including Senator Kofo Bucknor-Akerele, Mrs. Onikepo Oshodi, Gen. Tajudeen Olanrewaju (rtd.), Dr. Adeniji, and Dr. Amos Fawole, the former military governor of Ondo State called for unity and internal discipline within the party.
George reaffirmed his long-standing support for the party’s zoning principle, saying it remains the most equitable approach to power-sharing in Nigeria. He argued that the South should retain the presidency for an additional four years after 2027, in line with the eight-year tenure served by former President Muhammadu Buhari from the North.
“The idea of presidential zoning was enshrined by the PDP’s founding fathers to ensure fairness, justice, and unity,” he said. “Abandoning it for personal ambition is a betrayal of that principle.”
He also condemned the alleged manipulation of PDP governors to defect to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), accusing the APC of interfering in PDP’s internal affairs.
“The APC should leave PDP alone,” George said. “Despite current challenges, we will emerge stronger. But our members must put aside greed and personal ambition that conflict with our constitution and the principle of zoning.”
On national issues, George decried what he described as structural injustice in the local government distribution across the country. He lamented that Lagos State remains shortchanged and urged President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to revisit the recommendations of the last constitutional conference regarding the creation of additional local government areas.
“Equity must guide governance,” he said. “The time has come to correct these imbalances.”
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