Bode George backed PDP’s decision to zone the 2027 presidential ticket to the South.
He dismissed northern demands as selfish and praised governors for fostering party unity.
Former Deputy National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Chief Bode George, has dismissed calls for the party’s 2027 presidential ticket to be zoned to the North, describing such demands as manipulative and self-interested.
Appearing on Channels Television’s Lunchtime Politics on Tuesday, George applauded the PDP’s National Executive Committee (NEC) and governors for endorsing a formula that retains the chairmanship in the North while zoning the presidential slot to the South.
He explained that the NEC unanimously agreed on Monday to rotate the ticket to the South in order to complete what he termed “eight years of balance” for the region. According to him, efforts by some to reverse the arrangement were merely attempts to seize power for personal gain.
George praised the PDP governors for taking what he described as a courageous and equitable position. He noted that during their recent meeting in Gusau, Zamfara State, the governors resolved that the leadership structure must reflect fairness by ensuring that the chairmanship and presidential slot do not remain in the same zone.
The PDP chieftain added that the decision had already begun to ease tensions within the party, describing it as a step toward restoring unity. He observed that some members who left earlier were now showing interest in returning, stressing that “a divided house cannot win battles.”
On the matter of party members who worked against the PDP in the 2023 elections specifically the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, and Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde George cautioned against immediate punitive action. He argued that managing divergent characters within a political party requires patience, accommodation, and strategy.
He said the party had chosen to give dissenting members time to reconsider their positions, but warned that sanctions could be applied if reconciliation efforts failed. “You can disagree without being destructive, but if they refuse to retrace their steps, then disciplinary measures will follow,” he cautioned.
The PDP’s NEC formally zoned its 2027 presidential ticket to the South during its Abuja meeting on Monday. In contrast, the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) has already confirmed that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu will be its flagbearer in the forthcoming election.
