A chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Chief Bode George, has said he may refuse to vote in the 2027 presidential election if the party’s preferred candidate is prevented from appearing on the ballot.
George maintained that the leadership crisis within the PDP remained unresolved despite the publication of presidential candidates’ names by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
The elder statesman spoke during an interview on TVC’s Beyond the Headlines, insisting that only a final judgment by the Supreme Court could determine the authentic leadership of the party and its valid presidential candidate.
George argued that INEC’s publication of a list of candidates did not resolve the legal dispute involving rival factions of the PDP.
According to him, the matter remained before the courts and could only be conclusively determined by the apex court.
He maintained that the party must be allowed to present the candidate recognised by its authentic leadership once the legal process had been exhausted.
Asked whether he would support President Bola Tinubu if the PDP failed to secure its preferred candidate, George ruled out voting for another political party.
“If they don’t allow my party, I probably will stay in my house,” he said.
When asked whether that meant he would abstain from voting, George said he would rather remain at home than participate in an election in which the PDP had allegedly been denied a fair opportunity.
He said he would stay home “and take my coffee and tea and relax.”
The former PDP Deputy National Chairman also urged Tinubu to ensure that all eligible candidates were allowed to contest freely.
George argued that the President already enjoyed the advantages associated with incumbency and did not need political allies who intimidated or attacked opponents.
He advised Tinubu to distance himself from what he described as “attack dogs” and allow the electoral process to proceed without interference.
George said a transparent and competitive election would strengthen Nigeria’s democracy and improve public confidence in the country’s electoral institutions.
