Bode George Reveals How Tinubu Stopped Him From Fleeing Nigeria After 2023 Presidential Election

Chief Olabode George, the former Deputy National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), revealed that President Bola Tinubu sent his Chief of Staff, Femi Gbajabiamila, to persuade him to rethink his decision to flee Nigeria after the election results.

In 2022, Vanguard reported that George had threatened to leave the country following Tinubu’s announcement of his presidential candidacy in January. He expressed his concerns, stating, “I will leave Nigeria because he will represent you internationally. What kind of investment will he bring here? I’m not saying this out of hatred for him.

“This is not someone we can trust to manage this vast country. He would be a laughingstock on the global stage. We need to be careful about who leads us.

“If he somehow makes it to the presidency, I won’t stay in this country. I’m serious; I could go to Ghana and watch from a distance. You’ll see what unfolds.”

During an interview on Arise TV on Wednesday, George recounted how Gbajabiamila came to him with a message from Tinubu, asking him to reconsider his stance.

“During the campaign, I made it clear that if Bola Tinubu won, I would leave. Once they heard that, Tinubu sent his chief of staff, who is like a younger brother to me from Lagos State, Femi Gbajabiamila, to appeal to me.

“He came to say, ‘My boss asked me to tell you to please stay calm.’ They recognized they had wronged me and expressed their apologies.”

George also discussed the internal strife within the PDP that arose during the lead-up to the 2023 presidential election, noting that tensions and disagreements escalated, and he urged the factions involved to resolve their conflicts.

“The last convention, the presidential convention, marked the beginning of these issues, and instead of addressing them, they only worsened the situation.”