Bode George, former Deputy National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), has dismissed calls by the northern elders for the party’s 2027 presidential ticket to be zoned to the North, labeling them “selfish and manipulative”.
George instead, commended the PDP governors and National Executive Council (NEC) for deciding to zone the ticket to the Southern region.
According to George, the unanimous decision to zone the ticket to the South for the next four years will complete the party’s eight-year tenure in the region.
The PDP chieftain expressed gratitude to the governors, describing them as respectable young men.
He noted that the decision has ended existential imbecility in the party, with defectors who had left the party beginning to return.
These returning members, George said, recognize that fairness and equity must prevail in the party.
“Unanimously, in that NEC meeting yesterday (Monday), we agreed to zone the ticket to the south for the next four years to complete the eight years in the south.
“I must emphatically thank all our governors; they are respectable young men,” George said.
George also spoke about how the PDP intends to handle members like Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, and Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, who worked against the party in 2023.
The retired naval commodore said the party would not rush into punitive measures, but would instead, take a cautious approach in dealing with dissident members.
The decision to zone the presidential ticket to the South has been met with mixed reactions, with some northern PDP elders calling for the ticket to be zoned to their region.
However, George’s stance aligns with his previous warnings that the party’s zoning principle must be respected to avoid internal conflicts.
He emphasized that the South should have its turn at the presidency after the North’s eight-year tenure.
