2023: Maneuvering can take you to the Villa but what sustains you there is character –Bode George Tells Atiku

A member of the Governor Nyesom Wike-led Integrity Group, a group of five governors (G5 Governors), Chief Olabode George said he would go down in his grave, knowing that he told the truth and he didn’t waiver.

George, a former Deputy National Chairman of the PDP, stated this in an exclusive interview with Vanguard.

His words, “The constitution says this thing must come to the South. Is Buhari from Anambra, Oyo? Is he not from the North? Imagine the millions of votes here and he is abandoning them. You think you are deceiving them. If they like, let them vote for him, I will go down in my grave that I told the truth and I didn’t waiver.

“The Nigerian electorate understands what is happening. If they know you have the capacity and the ability to resolve this whole problem, they can trust you when you have a bigger problem. When you explain yourself, you will earn their trust. How did you emerge?

“There is no absolutism in democracy. All these stories are a load of trash. We solved the constitutional question for him to emerge. I was there. Why can’t we employ the same process for the sake of peace? If we had allowed the Presidency to come to the South, would we be arguing now?” he said.

Meanwhile, George also said the presidential candidate of the People’s Democratic Party, PDP, Atiku Abubakar to Aso Villa, but will need to sustain himself.

He said, “When you have built a house, make sure you don’t tamper with the foundation. Maneuvering can take you to the Villa but what sustains you there is character. If Nigerians decide to vote for Atiku, I will not because of this principle. If he becomes the President, his character will sustain him.

“He is my friend, but if you are not bold enough to tell your friend that what he is doing is not right, someday the larger being will ask you. I will not vote for Atiku because of that principle. If we accept the injustice, we are going back to those days of darkness when justice, fairness, and equity could be thrown away because of tribalism.

“Yes, he can win. He can manipulate. If they call me, I am ready for any debate based on the truth. We know what our constitution says. Now, you want to start tampering with the taproot. You are trying to reinvent and rebuild the super foundation.

“It will not stand, let it be. We must have a conscience. We must be bold enough, to tell, the truth to power,” he said.

Meanwhile, George said the G-5 is unperturbed that their stance may lead to a disastrous outing in February next year.

The G-5 governors and party elders have been demanding the exit of the PDP National Chairman, Dr. Iyorchia Ayu, insisting that they may not be dropping their demand as the 2023 presidential election approaches.