A former National Vice Chairman (South-West) of the Peoples Democratic Party, Olabode George, has attributed the lingering crisis within the opposition party to greed, personal ambition and what he described as a growing disregard for the founding principles that once guided the party.
George made the remarks on Thursday during a current affairs interview on Frontline, a programme aired on Eagle 102.5 FM in Ijebu-Ilese.
Reflecting on the internal divisions that have plagued the PDP in recent years, the elder statesman said the crisis did not originate from ideological disagreements but from the actions of individuals who ignored the party’s established rules and traditions.
According to him, the conflict intensified after the 2023 Nigerian general election, which triggered leadership disputes, zoning disagreements and struggles over party structures in several states.
The crisis has weakened the opposition party and prompted a wave of defections by governors, lawmakers and senior members to other political platforms, particularly the ruling All Progressives Congress.
Among the high-profile departures was Siminalayi Fubara, who defected to the APC in December 2025 along with lawmakers loyal to him.
The party’s internal turmoil was further compounded by a ruling of the Court of Appeal of Nigeria, which nullified the PDP’s November 15–16, 2025 national convention held in Ibadan, Oyo State.
The appellate court upheld an earlier judgment by the Federal High Court of Nigeria restraining the Independent National Electoral Commission from recognising the convention’s outcome, citing the party’s failure to comply with constitutional and electoral procedures, including the conduct of required congresses in several states.
George, who also served as military administrator of Ondo State, said the PDP was originally structured to promote national balance through its zoning arrangement, which rotated key political offices across Nigeria’s regions.
He explained that the framework was designed by the party’s founding leaders to ensure fairness and foster national unity in the country’s diverse political landscape.
“PDP created a concept of operation in this country where we decided that every Nigerian, whether you are a majority or minority tribe, is acceptable and must benefit from the gifts that God gave you in your local area,” he said.
George noted that the zoning system divided the country into six geopolitical zones, allowing the presidency to rotate among them for eight-year periods.
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However, he lamented that the arrangement began to collapse when individuals placed personal ambition above party discipline.
“How did we miss it? The main point is human greed. One fellow came out and said, ‘I don’t care whatever it is, I am going to contest,’” he said.
According to him, the resulting breakdown of the party’s internal structure has led to the instability currently facing the PDP.
He added that the party’s founding leaders would be deeply disappointed by the present situation.
“Those old men who had passed on would be shaking violently in their graves,” George said, warning that abandoning the party’s foundational principles has turned “logic upside down.”
He stressed that restoring respect for the PDP’s original framework, particularly the zoning arrangement, remains essential if the opposition party hopes to regain unity and political strength.