By Emamuzo Iboma
Chief Olabode George, the former Deputy National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), has called on Nyesom Wike, the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), and former Vice President Atiku Abubakar to exit the party immediately.
In a statement made yesterday, George expressed his confusion over why Atiku and Wike are mingling with opposition members while still claiming to be part of the PDP. He stated, “What is really happening? Anyone who is dissatisfied with the PDP should leave and join another party. This embarrassment has gone on long enough. As a founding elder of this party, I refuse to stand by and watch while some people openly disrespect it.”
He also criticized Atiku’s recent meeting with former President Muhammadu Buhari in Kaduna, saying, “General Buhari is my boss, but he is not in our party. So why is Atiku getting involved with him politically? Isn’t he already guilty of going against the party? Just the other day, President Bola Tinubu told Wike that the APC must win the council election in the FCT, and he agreed.Wike has been given a direct order to secure the FCT for the APC, yet he still claims to be a member of the PDP. Are people now so shameless that they cannot stick to their principles? Where is the leadership of our party? Why are they allowing Atiku and Wike to continue embarrassing us publicly?”
The fact that some governors are currently endorsing Tinubu’s reelection in 2027 was another topic he touched on. He said, ” I ask again, what is happening in our party? Has discipline disappeared? Is everything completely falling apart? Has reason vanished in how we manage the party now? Nigerians are looking for change, which only the PDP can provide, as we are the only organized party. Besides Ganduje, who else is known in the APC now? The APC is being run like a one-man operation from the Villa. Now is the time for the national leadership of the PDP to take strong actions to protect our great party. As a founding member and elder statesman, I urge other elders in our party to bring Atiku and Wike to heel, as neither of them is bigger than the PDP”.
He continued by saying, “They cannot keep hanging out with our party’s enemies and expect me to stay silent. The truth must be spoken every time, regardless of who it may upset. Now is the moment to protect our party from those who are weakening the PDP from within. If Atiku is planning to form a coalition with others for 2027, he should do that outside our party’s structure. You cannot be part of us while working against the party’s interests. We will not permit that. Wike’s situation is very clear to everyone. He wants to stay in Tinubu’s good graces while undermining our party. He is an adult and knows what is politically beneficial for him, but he cannot claim to be in the PDP while acting against the party’s interests.”
Additionally a comment was made on the fact that, “Many people do not know that what Wike did in Rivers leading to the emergency rule declaration of March 18 is anti-party activity. He organizes live interviews across television stations as if he is the president and attacks PDP in the process. If there is any iota of shame left in him, this is the time for him to leave our party.“ His strategy is to continue to work within the party for the president’s reelection. This is the time for our party leadership to wield the big stick because nobody is more powerful than the party. 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.
Due to the anti-people policies of APC, Nigerians are going through a lot and they are waiting for PDP to alleviate their suffering in 2027,” said George, a retired Navy Commodore and former Military Governor of Ondo State.
