Politics
2027 Election: Bode George Sends Important Warning To PDP On Ticket Zoning
In his address to the nation titled “My Thoughts on The State of Our Country in the Last 25 Years: A Time to Chart a New Direction,” a former National Deputy Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Bode George, stressed the importance of the party adhering to its power rotation principle between the North and South to secure victory in 2027.
During the recent press conference, George responded to a recent statement made by former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, the PDP’s 2023 Presidential candidate, who stated that he would abandon his ambition in 2027 if the party selects the Labour Party’s Presidential candidate, Peter Obi, in 2023.
George stressed that power rotation should be considered sacred and that the PDP should have learned from its defeat in 2023.
He said: “Our party has a grundnorm. The constitution of our party, as compiled by the founding father, Baba Ekwueme (former Vice President Alex Ekwueme) and his team, will remain a guiding light.
“We have paid a big price for not following the rule. We have made mistakes, let us learn. It has cost us too much.
“Section 7 subsection 3C states very clearly that the party must adhere to the zoning and rotation procedures for party positions and elective positions simultaneously for things to work well.”
He explained that the implementation of power rotation, as outlined in the party’s constitution, was designed to prevent any scenario that could lead to a military takeover.
He mentioned that the party’s original leaders strategically divided the nation into six geo-political zones to ensure representation for both majority and minority tribes, fostering a sense of inclusivity.
“This is because the problem since 1960 is between majority tribes and minority tribes.
“The majority tribe will have their way, but the minority will just be mere onlookers. That was the major cause of coups and counter coups,” he said.
George mentioned that the founding fathers of the party proposed a concept where the six geo-political zones would collectively hold the top six positions in the country, ensuring fairness and justice.
These positions include the President, Vice President, Senate President, Speaker of the House of Representatives, Secretary to the Government of the Federation, and party chairman.
Furthermore, he emphasized that the founding fathers reached a consensus that every eight years, the positions held by the northern zones would be transferred to the southern zones, and vice versa, to ensure a rotational system.
“The moment we (the PDP) started tinkering with that idea officially against our grundnorm, that was what created division in PDP,” the chieftain noted.
