A founding member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Chief Bode George, has criticised former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and ex-Senate President David Mark for aligning with the African Democratic Congress (ADC)-led coalition, accusing them of weakening the opposition and undermining the PDP’s foundation.
In an interview on Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily on Friday, George expressed deep frustration over the move, calling it a betrayal of the PDP’s legacy and questioning the sincerity of party members who are still within the PDP while actively supporting a rival political platform.
“You can’t serve two masters, as stated in the Holy Book. You either serve A or you serve B. But to say you are in A and B is a fallacy,” he said.
The formation of the ADC-led coalition, which includes key political figures such as Atiku, Peter Obi, Nasir El-Rufai, Rotimi Amaechi, and Dele Momodu, has stirred controversy within the PDP. The group met in Abuja on Wednesday to formalise their alliance, naming David Mark as interim National Chairman and Rauf Aregbesola as interim Secretary.
While Atiku has not officially left the PDP, his prominent involvement in the coalition has sparked concern. Mark, on the other hand, has formally resigned from the party.
Defectors key contributors to PDP internal turmoil – Bode George
Reacting to the development, George called the defectors “key contributors” to the party’s internal turmoil and said it was ironic that they were now abandoning ship due to a crisis they helped create.
“I feel very heartbroken, I feel very sad, because the real political Iroko tree… yes, we have a crisis. Meanwhile, they are part and parcel of the crisis,” he stated.
Reflecting on the 2022 PDP presidential primaries, George accused both Atiku and Mark of playing roles that fueled discord in the party by insisting on a northern candidate despite the fact that then-President Muhammadu Buhari, also from the North, had just completed two terms.
“When we had the last convention, General Buhari had just finished eight years. Then Atiku Abubakar wanted to compete (but) we said no; a northerner had just finished eight years. We had (Peter) Obi in the South. This was the beginning of the crisis. David Mark was the chairman of that convention, and Iyorchia Ayu was the chairman of the party. Of course, you cannot do things like that and get away with it. I warned against it at that point,” George said.
The former military administrator of Lagos State also poured scorn on the new coalition, arguing that it lacks both structure and vision.
“Do they have a concept? What is the strategy they have? That is a classless strategy. It is nothing but existential imbecility. Or sometimes what is called existential docility,” he said.
George went on to question the motives of those leaving the PDP, suggesting their actions are more about personal ambition than genuine political reform.
“Is it because the PDP has collapsed, or is it because of personal aggrandisement or personal ambition or self-conceitedness? What is driving them to this other party?” he asked.
Drawing a metaphor, he likened the PDP to a family home that should be mended from within rather than deserted at the first sign of trouble.
“This is your father’s house. The house made you, brought you to the limelight. You gained every laurel and recognition from this same house. And because there is a little crisis, is leaving the cultural thing to do? No, you sit in there. If you have a house that is leaking, do you run out? No, you are the landlord,” he said.
Despite his criticism, George remains optimistic about the PDP’s future, stressing that the party still has the internal mechanisms to address its issues and remain relevant.
“The PDP is a party where you can sit down, debate, and deliberate. That’s a strength, not a weakness,” he added.
