- Atiku was PDP’s flag bearer in the 2019 and the 2023 presidential election and there are speculations that he is in pole position to clinch the party’s ticket for the 2027 election.
The stalwarts and stakeholders in Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) have been advised against fielding former vice president, Atiku Abubakar, as the party’s presidential candidate in 2027.
Former Deputy National Chairman of party, Olabode George, who gave the advice in a chat with The Guardian, stated that the party will lose woefully if it handed Atiku its presidential ticket.
Atiku was PDP’s flag bearer in the 2019 and the 2023 presidential election and there are speculations that he is in pole position to clinch the party’s ticket for the 2027 election.
Speaking on the chances of the PDP in the next general election, George stated that the PDP will be soundly defeated if it fielded Atiku as its presidential candidate.
He said Atiku and his cohorts in the PDP had treated the Southern Nigeria with disrespect and disdain going by their action during PDP’s preparations for the 2023 elections.
He stated that the actions of Atiku made the G-5 PDP governors led by former Governor of Rivers State, Nyesom Wike, and others to work against the interest of their party in the last general poll.
“Atiku does not have the interest of the South at heart and he may possibly not going to be the president of all, if under his supervision the South West was given nothing and he was even courageous enough to say that something would be conceded to South West after the election, which we rejected,” he said.
The former military administrator of Ondo State also said it would be a slap, cheating and complete disrespect to the entire South if a Northerner wins the PDP presidential ticket in 2027. “I can bet you that no reasonable southerner would wholeheartedly campaign for a candidate for the North to emerge President of Nigeria in 2027. I will never do that until 2031 after the South must have completed its eight years.”
George, however, appealed to Wike to have a rethink on his rebellion against the party.
“Though you and others might have been hurt, you should allow the interest of your country to override whatever pains that you have,” he said.
The PDP chieftain also expressed concern over the undue interference of the Federal Government in the politics of Lagos, Rivers and Osun states as well as meddlesomeness in the emirate issue in Kano is an omen that could morph into national insecurity if caution is not applied.
Besides, George said the ultimate solution to the myriad problems confronting Nigeria is to address fundamental flaws in the 1999 Constitution. “Nigeria needs to be restructured to true federalism,” he insisted
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