Crisis in Nigeria’s Ruling Party: PDP Founding Member Urges Calm Amid Growing Unrest
A senior member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has called for calm in the midst of growing turmoil within the party. Bode George, a founding member of the PDP, has urged party leaders to put aside their personal ambitions and allow the party’s elders to resolve the crisis.
George made the plea during an appearance on Arise TV’s Morning Show, where he expressed his concerns about the direction the party has taken. “It’s time to shield your personal ambition and let us rebuild the party,” he said. “Let the Iroko tree get back because the tap roots are still there, and our people outside the country are asking what is happening with the party.”
George attributed the current crisis to the party’s inability to manage its internal affairs, particularly during the build-up to the last presidential election. “This crisis didn’t start now; it started from the Presidential convention and nobody was able to manage it,” he stated.
The PDP has been grappling with internal divisions since the party’s presidential primary election, which saw Atiku Abubakar emerge as the party’s flagbearer. The party’s Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, has been at odds with Abubakar and other party leaders, leading to infighting and factionalism.
George, a respected elder statesman within the party, has urged Abubakar and Wike to cool down and allow the party’s elders to mediate the crisis. “Atiku and Wike should calm down and let us go to the elders’ meeting where we would start this discussion to trace this crisis back to that convention because that was where everything started going in the wrong direction,” he emphasized.
The PDP’s leadership crisis has far-reaching implications for the party’s chances of regaining power in the 2023 elections. With internal squabbles dominating the headlines, the party’s focus is being diverted away from its core issues and towards resolving the crisis.
As the party navigates this challenging period, it remains to be seen whether George’s plea for calm and reconciliation will be heeded. For now, the party’s future hangs in the balance, leaving many to wonder if it can overcome its current turmoil and make a strong showing in the upcoming elections.
