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By Lawrence Agbo
Former Senate President, Bukola Saraki, has urged leaders and stakeholders of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to resolve the party’s internal crisis, warning that prolonged legal battles could undermine its chances in future elections.
Saraki made the call on Tuesday in a statement posted on Facebook and signed by the Head of the Bukola Saraki Media Office, Yusuph Olaniyonu, while reacting to the recent judgment of the Court of Appeal of Nigeria, which upheld earlier rulings nullifying the PDP national convention held in Ibadan, Oyo State, in November 2025.
The former governor of Kwara State said the party must accept the court’s verdict and move quickly to organise a fresh national convention that is in line with the timetable set by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
“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 warned that continued litigation among party members could jeopardise the chances of members hoping to contest elections on the PDP platform in the 2027 general elections.
“If our motive is to see that we do not jeopardise the chances of our numerous members who want to contest elections on our platform, then this consideration should be the priority of all of us in the party,” he added.
Saraki stressed that political parties exist primarily to provide platforms for candidates seeking elective offices and should not allow internal disputes to undermine that purpose.
“One of the key essentials of a political party is to provide a platform for candidates seeking to serve the people by contesting elections. We should not defeat this purpose,” he said.
He also appealed to aggrieved leaders within the party to put aside personal interests and prioritise the collective future of the PDP.
“At this stage, egos have been bruised. However, leaders should rise above personal interests and serve the larger common good,” he said.
The former Senate President further emphasised the need for dialogue and compromise among stakeholders to organise an all-inclusive national convention capable of producing widely accepted leadership.
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“The only viable option open to all of us is to sit down, discuss, and work towards holding an all-inclusive national convention at a time that will comply with INEC guidelines,” he said.
Earlier, the Court of Appeal in Abuja upheld the decisions of the Federal High Court, which invalidated the PDP national convention held in Ibadan between November 15 and 16, 2025.
In its judgement, the appellate court barred INEC from recognising the outcome of the convention, including the emergence of Taminu Turaki as the party’s national chairman.
Apart from electing a new National Working Committee, the convention had also suspended some allies of the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, over alleged anti-party activities.
Those suspended included the National Secretary, Samuel Anyanwu; the National Legal Adviser, Kamaldeen Ajibade; the Deputy National Legal Adviser, Okechukwu Osuoha; and the National Organising Secretary, Umaru Bature.
The dispute arose from multiple court cases filed by aggrieved party members who argued that the convention violated provisions of the 1999 Constitution, the Electoral Act and the PDP constitution.
Delivering the lead judgement, Justice Uchechukwu Onyemenam held that the party failed to comply with constitutional requirements before conducting the convention.
The court noted that no valid notice of the convention was served on INEC as required by law and that valid congresses were not conducted in more than 14 states before the convention was held.
The appellate panel also dismissed appeals filed by Turaki and other members of the National Working Committee, affirming that the Federal High Court had jurisdiction to hear the case.
The court further awarded ₦2 million in costs against the appellants.
The ruling marked the first appellate decision on the controversial convention after months of conflicting judgments from courts in Abuja and Ibadan.
