Former Senate President, Bukola Saraki, on Tuesday called on leaders of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to urgently convene a fresh national convention following the Court of Appeal judgement on the party’s disputed convention held in Ibadan.
Saraki also urged all stakeholders to immediately halt ongoing litigations and close ranks in order to stabilise the opposition party ahead of the 2027 general elections.
He made the call in a statement posted on his X on Monday signed by his media aide, Yusuph Olaniyonu.
Daily Trust reports that on Monday, the Court of Appeal nullified the outcome of the controversial national convention conducted by the party in Ibadan last year.
The ruling has thrown the opposition party into fresh uncertainty over the legality of its leadership structure.
Reacting to the ruling, the former Senate President warned that further legal battles could complicate the party’s ability to meet the timetable of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for the nomination of candidates.
According to him, waiting for a possible Supreme Court verdict may leave the party with little time to complete its internal processes before the electoral deadlines.
“My own position is that the Court of Appeal has ruled. However, with the revised timetable by INEC, it is obvious that there is no time to wait for the Supreme Court decision,” Saraki said.
He stressed that uncertainty surrounding the legality of the party’s structure could also cast doubt on the validity of tickets issued to candidates contesting on the PDP platform.
Saraki said the primary responsibility of any political party is to provide a credible platform for members seeking elective offices, warning that prolonged internal disputes could undermine that purpose.
He therefore urged feuding leaders in the party to rise above personal interests and focus on preserving the future of the PDP.
Saraki also reminded party leaders that some stakeholders had earlier warned about the possible consequences of going ahead with the Ibadan convention amid unresolved disputes.
According to him, those warnings were meant to prevent the kind of legal complications the party is now grappling with.
“From the beginning, some of us warned and advised about the dangers of travelling this route. We knew it could imperil the party,” he said.
He acknowledged that the court battle may have bruised egos among party leaders but emphasised that statesmanship requires placing the collective interest of the party above personal ambitions.
Saraki warned that continued litigation could ultimately frustrate the aspirations of thousands of PDP members across the country preparing to contest elections on the party’s platform.
These include aspirants for seats in the state Houses of Assembly, House of Representatives, Senate, governorship offices and the presidency.
The former Senate President therefore called for dialogue among all factions in the party with a view to organising an all inclusive national convention that would comply with INEC guidelines.
He said adopting a spirit of compromise would help restore unity and reposition the PDP ahead of the next electoral cycle.
“There is really no time for continuous bickering and grandstanding,” Saraki said.
The Ibadan convention held last year triggered a fresh wave of internal disputes within the PDP, with some stakeholders challenging its legitimacy in court.
The crisis has since deepened divisions within the party and raised concerns about its preparedness for future elections.
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