By Ihechi Enyinnaya
Elder statesman and chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Chief Bode George, has condemned the recent wave of defections by governors and top members of the party to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), describing the trend as “shameful, unnecessary, and dangerous to Nigeria’s democracy.”
Speaking in Lagos, George questioned what exactly was attracting PDP governors to the APC, asking, “All these PDP governors jumping ship — what exactly is attracting them? What has the APC done to improve the lives of Nigerians?”
He noted that the defections of some governors, including Bayelsa State Governor Douye Diri and others reportedly planning to leave, were acts of betrayal against the party that made them. George recalled how Diri emerged as governor through the PDP platform and insisted that leaving the same party that gave him victory was ungrateful.
He said: “They will soon see the difference between the PDP and the APC. The leader of the APC behaves as if he owns the party. But in the PDP, everyone’s voice counts. As a party, we must be able to disagree, but that doesn’t mean we must destroy the house that made us.”
He further dismissed the defections as inconsequential, saying that political party offices are like police stations — “you can walk in and walk out,” — but true loyalty and service to the people are what matter.
George announced that the PDP will soon unveil a new, people-centered manifesto built around the needs of ordinary Nigerians. “We are returning to the founding ideals of our party — fairness, equity, and service to the people. In PDP, there will be no cheating or corruption,” he said.
The former Deputy National Chairman of the PDP also decried Nigeria’s current constitutional structure, describing it as “shambolic and unbalanced,” and called for reforms that will give greater autonomy to states and ensure accountability in governance.
In recent months, the PDP has faced a series of high-profile defections to the APC. Some governors and party stalwarts have cited internal crises and lack of cohesion as reasons for leaving. However, George insists that the defections are driven more by personal ambition and the lure of federal power than genuine ideological differences.
He warned that Nigeria risks sliding into a one-party state if the trend continues, urging the electorate to reject politicians who abandon the platforms that brought them to power.
“Defection for personal gain is not leadership,” George declared. “True leaders stay to rebuild their party and their country. Those who are leaving will be judged by the people.”