A chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Lagos state, Barrister Taofik Gani, has called on the party's presidential candidate in the 2023 general elections, Atiku Abubakar to call his aides to order and guide them against their now intolerable agent provocateur role which has continued to embarrass the Party in the eyes of the electorates.

He also called on Atiku to dissociate himself from press statement issued by his aides denigrating party elders.

Gani's call is coming on the heels of a reaction attributed to Mr Paul Ibe, an aide of Atiku who accused Chief Bode George of tribalism and unfit to be a member of the military.

Chief Bode George had reiterated his stance that the emergence of Atiku from the North as presidential candidate after eight years of Northern presidency was against the letters & spirits of the PDP constitution relating to Offices & Power rotation.

According to Gani, "Paul Ibe's reaction is devoid of any Logic or research as Chief Bode George, a Yoruba, stands out as the most vocal elder of the Party against the APC since Buhari and now Tinubu, a Yoruba. Indeed Chief Bode George symbolises fearlessness and is always ready to speak the truth to power".

"Paul Ibe has just confirmed that he is the worst of the 90% of Atiku aides whose incompetence, disillusionment, intellectual laziness and farness from public opinion repeatedly caused Atiku his ambition.

The attempt by Paul Ibe to come out of dormancy is misdirected and dead on arrival. Atiku should dissociate from the press statement and in fact Sack Paul Ibe. Obviously Paul Ibe is around Atiku for pecuniary gain and thus would continue to act as an agent provocateur against the interest of Atiku.

George has never described Atiku as a rookie to be president, but that Atiku's emergence was against the PDP Democracy and National expectation. Indeed the Atiku emergence eventually alienated many sitting Governors, Ex Governors, Senators, leaders including Peter Obi and many others, hence the birth of LP as a 3rd force which eventually compromised the expected PDP Votes.

"Thus, accusing George of tribalism is laughable and exposes Paul Ibe as a gas lighter bereft of vital information. For sake of clarity, the best friend of Chief Bode George is from the North; Chief Bode George also committed all he had as DG to successfully return Late Yar Adua, a northerner as president.

"If Atiku does not immediately dissociate from the diseased statement by Paul Ibe; caution his aides against a similar reaction and himself humbly admitting the emergence as a political mistake, then the 2023 emergence will remain a talking point which may eventually kill the Party, PDP"

Jayhome24:
To be honest I respect Bode George for his hardline stand as pdp member. This man was even jailed by pdp yet refused to dump pdp.

So much pressure from apc to join them in 2015 this man refused till date but one thief called Atiku who co-founded apc to kicked Gej a pdp man out of power now talking, Atiiku need to be handcuff and beaten mercilessly.

kedeojo:
That Paul ibe is so foolish. Bode George was among the few pdp elders who condemned Buhari and Tinubu government many times. Atiku will never be president cos characters like ibe are just looking for what to get. What relevance is he giving to brand Atiku. He is a loyal dog because there are bones for him to eat in Atiku s home.

libvrithy:
Taofik Gani are you working for APC?

CharlotteFlair:
Is Bayo Oponuga not worse than Paul Ibe? Is he not a loyal dog to tinubu because of the bones thrown his way.
Oponuga has to be the most uncouth divisive presidential aide in his just like his Oga have won the award for the worst president since independence.

I'm not a PDP spokesperson, but PDP Lagos branch is a mirage. They are all APC by night. So any criticism coming from them will always be suspicious
for ulterior motives.

Jayhome24:
To be honest I respect Bode George for his hardline stand as pdp member. This man was even jailed by pdp yet refused to dump pdp.

So much pressure from apc to join them in 2015 this man refused till date but one thief called Atiku who co-founded apc to kicked Gej a pdp man out of power now talking, Atiiku need to be handcuff and beaten mercilessly.

UpaIweka:
Can you now tell us how many leaders be it Igbo or Hausa that your so called Oponuga as singled out to insult n denigrate like this foolish Ibe just did

Penguin2:
I like the politics the South played against the North in 2023; they were checkmated.

But nobody is sacking Paul Ibe.

Tell Baba Bode to stop talking too much

UpaIweka:
I love how igbos are now insulting Yoruba elders across board From Adeboye Kumuyi Soyinka Joke Silva Fashola n now Bode George. They should include Obasanjo and all others who supported Obi, soon Obasanjo go collect and the rest of them go get sense. Igbo can have the presidency anytime they want but a foolish soul like Obi who can caution Obidient on tribal n religious insult will never appeal to the majority of Nigerians. Fools like this Ibe should continue insulting every elders from all part of Nigeria that is how to quickly get Atiku into the presidency.

UpaIweka:
I love how igbos are now insulting Yoruba elders across board From Adeboye Kumuyi Soyinka Joke Silva Fashola n now Bode George. They should include Obasanjo and all others who supported Obi, soon Obasanjo go collect and the rest of them go get sense. Igbo can have the presidency anytime they want but a foolish soul like Obi who can caution Obidient on tribal n religious insult will never appeal to the majority of Nigerians. Fools like this Ibe should continue insulting every elders from all part of Nigeria that is how to quickly get Atiku into the presidency.

emkz:
Bode George served his time and it should not be used to abuse him.

In politics, bridges must be built by those who want to win the people. With profound respect, Bode George is likely to be of more value politically to Atiku than Mazi Paul Ibe. Paul Ibe needs to show him respect in the game. Bode George is certainly not a spent force.

When Obasanjo wrote a scathing letter against Buhari, Femi Adesina said Buhari asked them not to respond. When Tinubu made the Emi lokan speech, Buhari's aide never responded. As people unexpected, the matter did not cause a rift between Buhari and Tinubu, because of maturity.

It seems Atiku's media aides are outdoing themselves on who makes more enemies for Atiku. After the 2023 elections, how many of them are still sticking their necks out for Atiku? Where are Phrank Shaibu, Timi Frank, Don Pedro-Obaseki, Daniel Bwala, Najatu Muhammed? The same problem we saw in 2019 where Atiku had many uncoordinated spokesmen is what we saw in 2023.

If insults against Tinubu and APC in 2023 could not help Atiku, how would these same moves help him in 2027?