Former Senate President Bukola Saraki has called on leaders and stakeholders of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to halt ongoing litigations over the party’s disputed national convention and focus on organising a fresh one in line with electoral guidelines.
Saraki made the appeal on Tuesday in a Facebook statement signed by the Head of the Bukola Saraki Media Office, Yusuph Olaniyonu. He was reacting to a judgement by the Court of Appeal in Abuja which upheld earlier rulings invalidating the PDP national convention held in Ibadan in November 2025.
The former Kwara State governor said the party should accept the court’s decision and move quickly to organise another convention in line with the timetable of 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 prolonged litigation could jeopardise the chances of party members who intend 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 conflicts to undermine that objective.
“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 urged aggrieved party leaders to set 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 stated.
Saraki further emphasised the need for dialogue and compromise among party stakeholders to organise an inclusive national convention capable of producing widely accepted leadership.
“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 decision of the Federal High Court which nullified the PDP national convention held in Ibadan between November 15 and 16, 2025.
In its ruling, the appellate court barred INEC from recognising the outcome of the convention, including the emergence of Taminu Turaki as the party’s national chairman.
The convention had also suspended several allies of the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, over alleged anti-party activities.
Those suspended included the party’s National Secretary, Samuel Anyanwu; National Legal Adviser, Kamaldeen Ajibade; Deputy National Legal Adviser, Okechukwu Osuoha; and National Organising Secretary, Umaru Bature.
The dispute arose from several lawsuits filed by aggrieved members who argued that the convention violated provisions of the 1999 Constitution of Nigeria, 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 took place.
The panel also dismissed appeals filed by Turaki and other members of the National Working Committee and awarded ₦2 million in costs against the appellants.
The judgement represents the first appellate ruling on the controversial convention after months of conflicting decisions from courts in Abuja and Ibadan.
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