‘You can’t serve two masters’ — Bode George tackles Atiku, PDP members over ADC coalition

Bode George, former deputy national chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), has taken a swipe at party members in the opposition coalition formed under the African Democratic Congress (ADC).

Speaking on Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily programme on Friday, George said it was unacceptable for PDP members, including Atiku Abubakar, to remain in the party while aligning themselves with the coalition movement.

“You can’t serve two masters, as stated in the Holy Book. You either serve A or you serve B. But to say you are in A and B is a fallacy,” George said.

He accused Atiku and David Mark, former senate president and chairman of the ADC coalition, of playing key roles in the internal conflicts that have plagued the PDP.

George dismissed the ADC-led coalition as lacking the structure and coherence to serve as a credible opposition force.

“It is nothing but existential imbecility — or sometimes what is called existential docility,” he said.

“What is it that they are all going there for? This is your father’s house. The house made you, brought you to the limelight. You gained every laurel and recognition from this same house.

“Because there is a little crisis, is leaving the cultural thing to do? No, you stay there. If you have a house that is leaking, do you run out? No, you are the landlord.

“Do they have a concept? What is the strategy they have? That is a classless strategy.”

The PDP chieftain also recalled events leading to the party’s presidential primary ahead of the 2023 general election, describing them as the genesis of the crisis.

“When we had the last convention, General Buhari had just completed eight years. Then Atiku Abubakar wanted to compete, but we said no; a northerner had just finished eight years,” he said.

“We had Peter Obi in the South. This was the beginning of the crisis.”

George said Mark, who chaired the convention, and Iyorchia Ayu, who was the party’s national chairman at the time, should be held accountable for the fallout.

“Of course, you cannot do things like that and get away with it. I warned against it at that point,” he added.

On Wednesday, members of the coalition announced the ADC as their platform for the 2027 election.

Notable PDP members present at the event included Aminu Tambuwal, former governor of Sokoto; Dino Melaye, former Kogi senator; Dele Momodu, publisher of Ovation magazine; Gabriel Suswam, former governor of Benue; and Uche Secondus, former PDP national chairman.