Atiku vs. Bode George: Clash Over 2027 Presidential Ambition, Sparks Party Rift

Former PDP Deputy National Chairman, Chief Bode George, on Monday, urged ex-Vice President Atiku Abubakar to defer his presidential ambitions until 2031. George asserted that after President Muhammadu Buhari’s eight years in office, the South must complete its own eight-year tenure before power can return to the North, where Atiku is from.

In a statement on Wednesday, George firmly stated, “In our party, this is the right and logical thing to do in the present political circumstances. But if Alhaji Abubakar is desperate to contest again, I will advise him, as a friend, a party man, and a brother, to wait till 2031. By then, he will be 85 years old.”

Responding swiftly, Atiku’s media adviser, Paul Ibe, criticized George’s remarks as both premature and insensitive. Ibe emphasized that Atiku is currently focused on addressing Nigeria’s immediate challenges, not on the 2027 presidential race. “We cannot afford to put the cart before the horse. At this point, Atiku Abubakar’s preoccupation is not 2027. His concern is about 2024, 2025, and 2026 and beyond. His concern is about the plight of Nigerians who are literally going through hell because of the failed trial-and-error policies of this administration,” Ibe said.

However, George remained steadfast, arguing that Atiku should follow the example of U.S. President Joe Biden by stepping aside for younger southerners. “Even in 2027, Atiku will be 81 years old, and this is the time for him to embrace President Joe Biden’s concept of allowing the younger generation to run for the highest office in the land.”

George further questioned Atiku’s ambition for public office, urging him to recognize the need for generational leadership change. “I have nothing personal against Alhaji Abubakar. He is my friend, but the truth must be told. By 2027, by God’s grace, I will also be in my 80s. So, what am I looking for in public office as an octogenarian? The same principle should apply to Alhaji Abubakar,” George remarked.

He cited Biden’s decision to step aside for Vice President Kamala Harris as a demonstration of statesmanship that Atiku should emulate. “We all saw what American President Joe Biden did recently when he stepped down for Kamala Harris to contest the November presidential election. That is the hallmark of a statesman. Alhaji Abubakar should do the same so that in 2027, the PDP will field a southerner as a presidential candidate,” George added.

George also warned that ignoring the PDP’s zoning principles could damage both the party and the nation. “Fair is fair. I joined the PDP in 1998 and have remained in this party since. I have not defected to any other party. While I was in Wadata Plaza, Alhaji Abubakar was in the Villa as Vice President. So, we know ourselves, and the two of us know the principles guiding this party,” he said.

He emphasized the importance of adhering to the “Turn-by-Turn Nigeria Limited” concept within the PDP, asserting that a southern candidate must be the party’s choice in 2027. “The PDP must look for a southerner to wrest power from the APC because that party of strange bedfellows wants to destroy this country, economically and politically. So, Nigerians are waiting for us to rescue them in 2027, but a southerner must lead the battle,” George concluded.