Why Atiku’s presidency would have collapsed – Bode George

Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) stalwart Chief Bode George has asserted that former Vice President Atiku Abubakar’s presidency would have collapsed if he had won the 2023 presidential election.

Speaking on Arise TV’s Morning Show on Friday, George commented on the ongoing PDP crisis. He expressed doubts about the stability of Nigeria under an Atiku presidency, citing concerns over the impact of a northern candidate succeeding an incumbent from the same region.

George criticized the party’s decision to nominate Atiku, stating, “If Atiku had won, I would have stayed out because I anticipated his presidency would fail. Given that a northerner had just served for eight years, our convention was for the presidency to shift to the south.”

He pointed out that the PDP’s problems stemmed from the decision to select a northern candidate, disrupting the party’s norms and exacerbating divisions. George argued that the departure of former PDP National Chairman Iyorchia Ayu was too late to address the resulting issues, as Ayu had reneged on an agreement to resign if a northern candidate was chosen.

George also mentioned that the PDP was divided into three factions, weakening its ability to effectively oppose the current government. He declined to serve on the party’s newly formed Disciplinary Committee, criticizing the committee’s composition and questioning its effectiveness.

He urged the party to focus on resolving internal issues rather than creating committees, stressing the need for a thorough review of the factors leading to the last election’s problems.