Former Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) National Deputy Chairman, Bode George, has emphatically stated that the party must adhere to its established power rotation principle between the North and South to secure a victory in the 2027 elections.
During his address titled “My Thoughts on The State of Our Country in the Last 25 Years: A Time to Chart A New Direction,” George stressed the importance of this principle while responding to questions from newsmen.
His remarks were in reaction to a statement by former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, the PDP’s 2023 Presidential candidate, who indicated he would withdraw his 2027 candidacy if the party supported Labour Party’s Peter Obi in 2023.
George highlighted the critical nature of power rotation, stating, “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.”
He cited Section 7, Subsection 3C of the PDP constitution, which mandates adherence to zoning and rotation procedures for party positions and elective offices. This provision, George argued, was designed to prevent any scenario that might lead to military intervention in politics.
The former Deputy Chairman explained that the party’s founders divided the country into six geo-political zones to ensure both majority and minority tribes felt represented and included.
“The problem since 1960 has been 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 explained.
To address this, the PDP’s founding fathers proposed that the top six political positions in the country—President, Vice President, Senate President, Speaker of the House of Representatives, Secretary to the Government of the Federation, and Chairman of the party—be distributed equitably among the six geo-political zones.
These positions, George noted, should rotate between the northern and southern zones every eight years to maintain balance and fairness.
George concluded that the deviation from this foundational principle has been a source of division within the PDP, urging the party to return to its original ideals to restore unity and enhance its prospects in future elections.