Former Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) deputy national chairman Olabode George has stated that a northerner cannot be the party’s presidential candidate in 2027.
At a news conference on Monday, George cautioned members of the party lobbying for a northern candidate to forget it. He warned that the PDP was on the verge of a disaster if pressing important party issues were not handled promptly, adding that he raised the alarm in the run-up to the February 25 and March 18, 2023, general elections, but that’some forces’ in the party ignored the warnings.
He stated that as a party leader, it is his obligation to sound the alarm so that the PDP does not become extinct in 2027.
“It is our determination to ensure the PDP returns to the Presidential Villa in Abuja on May 29, 2027. But, we can only go back to Aso Rock if we are united, not divided. So, I don’t really understand the rhetorics in some quarters these days that a member of the party from the North is strategising or plotting to return as the presidential candidate of our party in 2027.
“A northerner cannot be the presidential candidate of our party in 2027, pure and simple. The earlier some members pushing this agenda know this truth, the better for our collective sanity. I have nothing against northerners. In fact, my best friend is from the North but PDP members must understand this reality before it is too late that a PDP member from the southern part of the country must be our candidate and we must all support him to defeat the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate in the 2027 elections.
“Until 2031, nobody should think of contesting for the presidential ticket of our party from the North. Elders in our party should stand up and say the truth.The truth may be bitter but it must be said without any emotion or else, the founding fathers of our party, some of whom have exited this world, will not forgive us.
“Since 2015, we have seen how the APC-led presidency has continued to destroy the economy, burning the bridge that binds us together. Nigerians are waiting for us in the next general election but to think of a northerner as our saviour in 2027 is a joke taken too far.
“I still don’t believe the story but, according to a popular saying, there is no smoke without fire. If it is true, the outcome will be calamitous. This is a ‘clear and present danger’ that may, eternally, work against our party. The moment you remove justice, fairness and equity from any system, organisation or group, failure is knocking at the door. I cried loudly before the last general election that we cannot shut out the South from our strategy and hope to win. Two northerners emerged as our presidential candidate and national chairman. We all saw the outcome. I can boldly say those who supported that idea gave the opportunity for Bola Tinubu to become the president today and a repeat of that fiasco will lead to the end of PDP in 2027.
“I want to alert Nigerians that the primitive agenda that led to the PDP losing the February 25, 2023 presidential election is rearing its ugly head again. I want Nigerians and PDP members to know that Olabode George, one of the founding fathers and a former deputy national chairman of our party, is not anti-party and will never do or say anything against the interest of this party but I abhor and hate injustice at any level. I am a tireless defender of democracy; have always fought for equity and justice for all with respect to the constitution of this nation and our party. I have never left the party, no matter what situation besets me. How we collectively address the issues at stake will be a major determinant of the fate of this party in 2027.
“I have no iota of tribalism in my blood. I stand to fight for inclusiveness for all Nigerians in the political process of this country and especially in this party where some of us have suffered great injustice for the fight of equity and justice for all.
“As leaders of the party, we must not pander towards ethnic affiliation because PDP is the only true national party. The APC is just a mere collection of strange bed fellows.
We should not allow any sentiment –ethnic or religion –to divide us. Unless we are united, with equity, fairness and justice being the pedestal for any political decision taken, this party will be heading to disaster in 2027.
“According to reports, some governors are against the plot to return a northerner as our presidential candidate in 2027. How can we go into the 2027 election season with this type of division and expect to win the presidential election? Unless we are united, unless we have fairness, equity and justice in our system, the party and the country are heading nowhere. In the build up to the 2023 presidential elections, I was shocked about the quality of response from some of our members, so divisive and arrogant. All the party elders said then that the national chairman should not resign, where are they today?” he said.
