Owing to continuous acts judged harmful to the party’s unity and reputation, Olabode George, a founding member and former Deputy National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), has called on former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister Nyesom Wike to step down from the party immediately.
Speaking through a sharply worded statement, George expressed dismay over what he termed as apparent fraternisation between the couple and the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), stressing that their conduct continues to bring dishonor to the PDP.
Following the internal turmoil that shook the party, George questioned why key players like Atiku and Wike continued to support the opposition while remaining PDP members.
“What exactly is going on?” he inquired. Anyone sick of the PDP need to quit and join another party. This shame is enough. As one of the party’s founding elders, I will not stand by and watch as some openly disparage the party. It isn’t feasible.
Atiku’s recent visit to former President Muhammadu Buhari in Kaduna was especially criticized by George, who said: “General Muhammadu Buhari (retd) remains my boss but he is not a member of our party.” What is the reason behind Atiku’s political scheming with him? Has he not already committed an anti-party offense?
He also brought up President Bola Tinubu’s alleged public declaration in which he instructed Wike to guarantee an APC win in the FCT council elections.
“President Bola Tinubu told Wike the other day that the APC must win the council election in the FCT, and he agreed,” George added.
“Wike has been given a direct order to win FCT for APC and he still claims to be a member of the PDP,” he continued, denouncing Wike’s statement. Are individuals so politically shameless these days that they lack moral integrity? Where is our party’s leadership? Why are they putting up with Wike and Atiku? Why are they permitting the pair to publicly humiliate our party?
Given that certain governors are now allegedly supporting Tinubu’s possible reelection campaign, George cautioned that the issue is becoming more complicated. Now, a few governors are joining them in supporting Tinubu’s 2027 reelection. What precisely is happening at our gathering, may I ask again? Have the dogs lost their discipline? Has everything fallen apart? Has sanity taken flight in the way we conduct the party now?”
In contrast to the APC’s alleged one-man rule, he insisted that the PDP is still Nigeria’s only organized and functional political party, saying, “Nigerians are yearning for change, which only the PDP can offer because ours is the only organized party.” Who else do you know in the APC NWC besides Ganduje? The Villa controls the APC, which is a one-man operation.
“Now is the time for the national leadership of PDP to take decisive steps to save our great party,” George said, urging the party’s leadership to take quick action.
“As an elder statesman and a founding member of our party, I call on other elders of our party to call Atiku and Wike to order, as the two are not the PDP’s size,” he added.
George said he would not keep quiet: “They can’t keep hanging around with our party’s opponents and expect me to say nothing. No matter whose ox gets gored, the truth must always be spoken.
“This is the time to save our party from those undermining PDP from within,” he said, highlighting the necessity of ridding the party of internal saboteurs.
George made the following statement in reference to Atiku’s purported future political plans: “If Atiku is planning how to form a coalition with others because of 2027, he should do that outside the structure of our party.” You cannot work against this party’s interests while still being within it. We will never permit that.
On Wike, he said: “Wike’s case is very clear to everybody. He wants to be in the good books of Tinubu while working against our party. You cannot claim to be a member of the PDP and be working against the party’s interests, even though he is an adult and understands what is best for him politically.
Many people are unaware that Wike’s actions in Rivers, which resulted in the proclamation of an emergency rule on March 18, are anti-party, he said.
As if he were the president, he arranges live interviews on television stations and disparages the PDP in the process. Now is the moment for him to depart our party if he still has any shame.
His plan is to keep pushing for the president’s reelection within the party.
“No one has more power than the party, so now is the moment for our party leadership to exercise their authority.”
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“The moment we remove the liabilities in our party, we will be in a formidable position, as an opposition party, to take over power from APC at the federal level in 2027,” George said, indicating that the PDP would be stronger if internal dissenters were purged.
Bode George Regarding the Nation’s Situation
Turning to domestic matters, he criticized the APC’s economic and security policies, saying, “Nigerians are suffering greatly as a result of the APC’s anti-people policies, and they are waiting for the PDP to ease their suffering in 2027.”
“Insurrection, insurgency, kidnappings, killings, and corruption have taken over the land,” George said in reference to the state of insecurity. What precisely is Tinubu doing in his capacity as Commander-in-Chief to buck this undesirable trend?
Does it make sense the way people are being killed in Plateau and Benue? The time has come for opinion leaders and previous presidents to speak out against the drifting nation. We cannot carry on in this manner.
Additionally, he questioned bank CEOs about their role in the nation’s financial crisis, stating that they ought to support the general welfare: “There is what is called round-tripping.” In addition, there are claims of fraud, concealment, and insider abuse. Nigerians are the target of all of these. on the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, Germany, the United Arab Emirates, and other countries, bank MDs are not seen on private jets every other day.
Here, our bank MDs own their own aircraft in addition to chartering private ones. Where do they find the funds to keep up this kind of lifestyle and luxury?
