Elder statesman and chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Chief Bode George, has issued a fiery warning against any attempt to hand the party’s 2027 presidential ticket to former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, declaring such a move would mark the end of the PDP.
In a no-holds-barred interview on Channels Television on Monday, the respected PDP stalwart dismissed claims that Atiku is the party’s leader, stating categorically that the PDP is built on collective leadership, not individual ambition.
“The fact that he was the presidential candidate at the last election doesn’t make him the leader of our party. The PDP does not belong to one man. If Atiku is running for his private ambition, that’s not the same as running for the party’s interest,” George said.
His comments come amid growing speculation that Atiku is quietly mobilizing for a 2027 comeback, with talks of possible coalition-building among opposition parties. But George insists such moves have no official PDP backing.
Asked whether Atiku could again clinch the party’s ticket, George was blunt: “He cannot be. Eight years in the North must be balanced with eight years in the South. That is the principle the PDP was built on.”
He went further to allege that the last primary process was manipulated in Atiku’s favor and warned that any repeat of such tactics would not be tolerated.
“If he picks the 2027 ticket through manipulation like what happened last time, that will be the end of the PDP. We will not accept it,” he declared.
