Former Deputy National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Chief Olabode George, has appealed to former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and other opposition leaders to remain in the PDP and focus on rebuilding the party. Speaking at a Lagos event titled “Restitution of Restoration,” George described the PDP as a resilient and reenergized platform with the capacity to lead Nigeria’s political future.
He urged key figures like former Senate President David Mark, who has been identified as a central figure in a newly formed opposition coalition adopting the African Democratic Congress (ADC) for 2027, to return to the PDP. According to George, no coalition can rival the PDP in structure, reach, or legacy.
He warned that leaving the PDP to join alternative political alliances dishonors the sacrifices of the party’s founding fathers and undermines the very foundation that helped many of the leaders rise to national prominence. He emphasized that past coalition experiments had failed and that repeating such efforts would yield no better results.
George noted that internal disputes within the PDP had been resolved and the party was now unified and poised to reclaim its role as Nigeria’s leading opposition force. He stated that many of the grievances cited by Atiku and others no longer held weight, as peace had been restored within the party.
He also reaffirmed that the PDP still stands by its decision to zone the 2027 presidency to the South, highlighting zoning as a vital principle of the party’s structure that ensured fairness and stability since inception.
Calling for reflection and unity, George urged all aggrieved members to reconsider their stance, stressing that leaving the party would be counterproductive. He maintained that only within the PDP could their interests truly be protected and advanced.
