Atiku Is Not PDP Leader, 2027 Ticket Will End Party If Given to Him–Bode George

Prominent Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chieftain and elder statesman, Chief Bode George, has firmly rejected the notion that former Vice President Atiku Abubakar is the leader of the party, warning that any move to impose Atiku as the party’s presidential candidate for 2027 could spell doom for the PDP.

Speaking during an interview on Channels Television on Monday, Chief George said Atiku’s status as the party’s presidential candidate in the 2023 general elections does not grant him automatic leadership of the PDP. According to him, the party is governed by collective decisions, not individual ambitions.

“The fact that he was the presidential candidate at the last election doesn’t mean he is a bonafide, fixated leader of the party. If he is running for his own private interest, it’s different from the interest of the party,” he stated.

George’s comments come amid reports that Atiku is actively working to build a coalition of opposition parties ahead of the 2027 general elections. However, George emphasized that such a move is not the official position of the PDP, echoing recent declarations by PDP governors following their strategic meeting in Ibadan.

On the question of whether Atiku can return as the PDP’s presidential candidate in 2027, George was unequivocal:

“He cannot be. Eight years in the North, there should be eight years in the South. That is the dictate, that is the doctrine of the platform of the PDP.”

He further warned that any attempt to manipulate the party’s internal processes to favor Atiku, as he alleged happened during the last primary, would not be tolerated.

“If he picks it (the 2027 presidential ticket), that is the end of this party. If he picks it by whatever manipulation like was done the last time, we will not accept it.”

Chief George’s stance reinforces the internal tensions within the PDP, as debates around zoning, leadership, and political direction continue to shape the party’s future. His insistence on rotational presidency underscores the South’s demand for equity and balance in political representation.

Lagos Reporters will continue to follow developments within the PDP and across Nigeria’s political landscape as the 2027 general elections draw closer. Stay with us for trusted updates, expert analysis, and exclusive interviews that shape national discourse.