Former Deputy National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Chief Bode George, has ruled out the possibility of the party presenting a Northern candidate in the 2027 presidential election. Speaking during a Lagos PDP stakeholders’ meeting convened to celebrate what members described as the “restoration” of the party, George stated emphatically that fielding a Northern candidate would be a betrayal of the PDP’s zoning principle and an insult to its founding fathers.
He warned that any attempt to push a Northern candidate in 2027 would trample on the party’s legacy and the memories of iconic leaders like the late Dr. Alex Ekwueme. According to George, Ekwueme once contested the PDP ticket but respected the party’s outcome without destroying its structure, adding that true loyalty and leadership demand respect for foundational values and internal democracy.
George also reacted to the wave of defections affecting the PDP, particularly the moves by some members to form a new coalition aimed at unseating President Bola Tinubu in 2027. He dismissed such defectors as “rolling stones that gather no moss,” asserting that many of them would eventually return to the PDP once their plans fail. He likened their political moves to abandoning one’s father’s house because of a leaky roof only to become tenants elsewhere, suggesting their actions are shortsighted and self-serving.
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Taking a swipe at President Tinubu, George accused the APC-led federal government of orchestrating a campaign to lure PDP governors into defecting to the ruling party. He alleged that Tinubu is using coercion and political pressure to weaken the PDP’s structure by seducing its top leaders into crossing over to the All Progressives Congress (APC). However, he cautioned that power ultimately rests with the Nigerian people and not with any political figure, no matter how powerful.
George’s remarks come amid rising tension within the opposition party, as internal disagreements and realignments continue to reshape the political landscape ahead of the 2027 general election. His strong position on zoning and his critique of defectors and the ruling APC have reignited debates about party loyalty, regional equity, and the PDP’s direction in the face of mounting pressure.
