Tinubu sent Gbajabiamila to beg me not to leave Nigeria – Bode George

Former Deputy National Chair (South) of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Bode George, recently disclosed that he was persuaded to stay in Nigeria by Femi Gbajabiamila, President Bola Tinubu’s Chief of Staff.

George had previously threatened to leave the country if Tinubu became president.

In January 2022, following Tinubu’s announcement of his presidential ambition, George expressed his intention to relocate, saying, “I will move away from Nigeria. I’ll leave because he will be your representative internationally. I am not speaking out of hatred; I just don’t believe he is fit to manage this country. If he wins, I’ll leave for Ghana and watch from afar.”

This was one of several times George had vowed to leave the country under a Tinubu presidency. However, in a recent interview with Arise TV, George revealed that Gbajabiamila, whom he referred to as his “little brother from Lagos state,” intervened on Tinubu’s behalf during the campaign.

“Tinubu sent Femi to appeal to me,” George explained. “He came to say, ‘My boss said I should tell you to be calm.’ They acknowledged their mistakes and apologized.”

Internal PDP Crisis

George also discussed the ongoing crisis within the PDP, which he traced back to the party’s 2023 presidential election preparations. He called on Nyesom Wike, the current Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, and Atiku Abubakar, the PDP’s 2023 presidential candidate, to resolve their differences.

“The crisis began during the presidential convention,” George said. “Having both the party chairman and presidential candidate from the same region was against the party’s constitution. I confronted Iyorchia Ayu, the former party chair, who had promised to resign if a northern presidential candidate emerged but later reneged.”

George emphasized the need for party members to put aside their personal interests and focus on rebuilding the party, adding that no organization is without issues but resolving them is essential.

He recalled a meeting held two days before the general election, where only the Oyo State Governor and Wike attended. “Wike suggested we support Tinubu, but I disagreed. I advised that they discuss with their respective states whether to back Peter Obi or Tinubu,” he recounted.