Former Deputy National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Chief Olabode Ibiyinka George, has joined the 2023 presidential race.
Freedom Online learned that the former governor of old Ondo State joined the race after three meetings held in Lagos, London in UK and Berlin, Germany.
George, the Director-General (D-G) of the Umaru Musa Yar’Adua Campaign Organisation in 2006/2007, is still in London “strategising and meeting some prominent Nigerians on how to actualise the ambition”, said a source.
Although he is still a member of PDP, it is still not clear on which political platform George, the Atona Odua of Yorubaland, will launch the ambition.
Before leaving Nigeria for the London and Berlin meetings, Freedom Online learned that a former President and former Head of State had already endorsed the move to make George succeed President Muhammadu Buhari in 2023.
This move is based on the partisan calculation that the presidency will move to the South-West.
Some members of Afenifere, the pan-Yoruba socio-political organisation led by nonagenarian Reuben Fasoranti, are also believed to be backing George’s ambition.
Freedom Online learned that present at the London and Berlin meetings were a former Senate President, a former Chief of Naval Staff, a retired General who had issues with President Muhammadu Buhari when he was Head of State between December 31, 1983 and August 26, 1985, a prominent power broker during the administration of a former president, a former governor of a state in the North-East and two ministers during the Yar’Adua administration.
Freedom Online learned that George, an experienced administrator, orator and politician, will unveil his presidential plans in the middle of 2020 and “the real fireworks will start in 2021”.
A source disclosed that three committees – Finance, Strategy and Contact – had already been set up, headed by the former Chief of Naval Staff, a former Minister and a former South-South governor.
George is a prominent Lagosian, very close to the Oba of Lagos, Oba Rilwan Akiolu.
A prominent Lagos Prince, Uthman Shodipe-Dosunmu, who also confirmed the development, declared that “people may believe it is a joke now but when reality dawns on them, they will wake up. The truth is that some prominent Nigerians have resolved to back Chief Bode George in the race for 2023. This is real and authoritative. In fact, a group, The Pathfinder Consortium, is already working underground as a foundation for a bigger and more robust national platform to actualise this presidential ambition.
“We can say 2023 is still far away but at the same time, it is not too far. Many stakeholders want real change in the country, politically and economically. This is not about PDP or APC. This is about Nigeria.
“I only attended the Lagos meeting. I was not part of the ones held outside the country so, I can’t really give you details of what happened there. But, I can only tell you that this is a pan-Nigerian movement”.