A former Deputy National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, Chief Olabode George, has alleged a coordinated attempt by the ruling All Progressives Congress to weaken the opposition party ahead of the 2027 general elections, warning that such efforts will ultimately fail.
Speaking on Sunday in Lagos, George, who holds the traditional title of Atona Oodua of Yorubaland, accused the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, of collaborating with the presidency to destabilise the PDP.
He likened the situation to the biblical analogy of “the voice of Jacob and the hand of Esau,” suggesting covert manipulation behind ongoing political developments.
According to him, the PDP’s calm disposition in the face of internal challenges should not be mistaken for weakness.
“They think our commitment to constitutional order is stupidity. We are calm because of Nigeria. Nigerians are watching, and they are not fools,” he said.
George further declared that Wike was no longer a member of the PDP, insisting that the former Rivers State governor had been expelled during the party’s convention in Ibadan last November.
“He is not leading any faction. He has been expelled alongside others, and that decision remains valid. It is therefore inappropriate for him to claim to represent the PDP while allegedly using federal influence to intimidate citizens,” he stated.
The PDP chieftain also accused the ruling party and the presidency of engineering crises across opposition parties to prevent credible competition against President Bola Tinubu in 2027.
He called on elder statesmen to intervene and advise the President to rein in Wike, warning of potential consequences if the situation is left unchecked.
“This is Tinubu’s administration, not Wike’s. Nigerians across all regions are watching. If a crisis erupts, the outcome will not be palatable,” he warned.
George criticised what he described as attempts to manipulate party structures and national institutions, including the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), to favour certain political interests.
He also cautioned against actions that could undermine Nigeria’s democratic stability, drawing parallels with past political crises in the country’s history.
“Nigeria is not a banana republic. No individual, no matter how powerful, should be allowed to subvert the democratic will of over 200 million Nigerians,” he said.
The elder statesman concluded by urging President Tinubu to act decisively, stressing that the preservation of democracy and national unity must take precedence over partisan interests.
“This is the time for the President to call these actors to order. The peace and stability of Nigeria must not be compromised,” he added.
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