Former Senate President Bukola Saraki has called for the cancellation of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) national convention scheduled to hold this weekend in Ibadan, Oyo State. He expressed concerns over conflicting court rulings that have created doubts about the convention’s legality and credibility.
Saraki warned that going ahead with the convention could deepen the internal crisis within the party. Speaking after meeting with members of the PDP Board of Trustees (BoT) reconciliation team, he said he could not, in good conscience, participate in any process that might further divide the party or harm the ambitions of its members.
“As a leader, on whose shoulder lies the political weight of the yearnings and aspiration of my people, I cannot in all good conscience take or be part of any action that will jeopardise their aspirations,” Saraki stated.
He proposed that the PDP set up a Caretaker Committee within the next two days to temporarily manage the party’s affairs. According to him, this would help restore unity and confidence among party members ahead of future elections.
“In the present circumstance, no serious politician with electoral ambition will seek to contest on the platform of the PDP, not knowing whether his or her nomination will be valid or declared null and void,” Saraki said.
The former Senate President added that holding the convention under the current legal and political uncertainty would be “a waste of effort” and could worsen the party’s internal disputes.
Saraki’s remarks come amid several court decisions that have issued conflicting directions on the convention. While some Abuja courts ordered a halt to the exercise and barred the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) from monitoring it, a court in Ibadan allowed the convention to proceed.
Despite the legal confusion, the PDP National Working Committee (NWC), led by Acting National Chairman Umar Damagun, along with some party governors, insists that the Ibadan convention will go ahead as planned. However, factions aligned with the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, and former Jigawa State Governor, Sule Lamido, have opposed the move, saying they were excluded from the convention’s preparations.
Saraki urged the PDP to resolve political disagreements through dialogue rather than the courts. He called on party leaders to find a “win-win solution” that promotes reconciliation and unity among members.
“What the PDP needs now is stability, not further division,” he concluded.