Bode George: PDP Must Field Southerner in 2027, Atiku Should Wait Till 2031

Former Deputy National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Chief Bode George, has advised former Vice President Atiku Abubakar to wait until 2031 if he intends to contest for the presidency again. George emphasized that a Southerner should hold the presidency from 2023 to 2031, aligning with the PDP’s constitution and the political reality of Nigeria. He suggested that Atiku, who will be 81 by 2027, should consider stepping aside to allow younger candidates to run, drawing a parallel to U.S. President Joe Biden’s decision to support younger leadership.

George pointed out that after eight years of leadership by former President Muhammadu Buhari, a Northerner, it is fair for the presidency to rotate to the South. He referenced Section 7, Sub-section 3 (C) of the PDP Constitution, which emphasizes the need for zoning and rotation to ensure justice, fairness, and equity. He urged Atiku to respect the party’s principles and consider running in 2031 when the presidency could rotate back to the North.

Addressing accusations of tribalism from Atiku’s media adviser, George dismissed them as unfounded, highlighting his long-standing friendships with Northerners and his history of working closely with Northern leaders, including as the Director-General of the Umaru Musa Yar’Adua Presidential Campaign Organisation in 2007. He reiterated his commitment to the PDP’s foundational principles and stressed the importance of upholding the party’s zoning and rotation system to preserve unity and balance in the nation’s politics.

George called on PDP members to respect the entrenched principles of zoning and rotation established by the party’s founders in 1998, which stipulate that all elective and party offices should alternate between the North and South every eight years. He warned against actions that could harm the party and insisted that the PDP must field a Southerner in the 2027 presidential race to challenge the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), which he accused of mismanaging the country’s economy and politics.