Former Senate president Bukola Saraki has withdrawn from the Peoples Democratic Party’s planned national convention in Ibadan. He said no serious and ambitious politician would contest on a platform mired in a protracted internal crisis.
In a statement on X following his meeting with the party’s board of trustees’ reconciliation team at his residence on Wednesday, Mr. Saraki urged the party’s leadership not to proceed with the national convention.
“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,” the politician said. “As a leader, on whose shoulder lies the political weight of the yearnings and aspirations of my people, I cannot in all good conscience take or be part of any action that will jeopardise their aspirations.”
The party, in a statement by its spokesperson, Debo Ologunagba, on Wednesday, insisted that the convention would hold as planned, despite two separate court orders halting the process due to an unresolved internal wrangling within the party.
However, Mr Saraki said that going ahead with the convention would be a waste of effort and further worsen the crisis bedeviling the party.
“It is clear that going ahead with the National Convention in Ibadan on 15-16 November 2025 will only serve to further fuel the present crisis. Therefore, going ahead with the Convention as scheduled is a waste of effort. It does not have my support. It’s not too late to find a win-win solution,” the politician stated.
The PDP chieftain further expressed regret that, despite the selfless and arduous efforts of some party stakeholders, the convention had become mired in extensive controversy, both politically and legally, adding that this did not bode well for the opposition party or Nigeria’s democracy in general.
Noting that political matters could hardly be resolved through the courts, the former Senate president stated that there was no assurance the convention would stand, given the existing conflicting court orders.
Mr Saraki said, “I made it clear to the BOT team that political matters can hardly be resolved through the courts. Affairs of political parties are best resolved amicably with all sides seated round the table. Legal battles will only continue to cause friction.
“As it stands, the fact is that there are conflicting court orders in relation to the validity of the scheduled convention. As a result, there is no assurance as to whether the conduct and outcome of the convention will stand.”
Mr. Saraki urged the party’s reconciliation team to establish a caretaker committee to oversee the party’s affairs in the interim, adding that this was the best way to give confidence to its members seeking to contest on the platform.
“My advice to the BOT team is that the only solution available to us now is for the party to set up a caretaker committee to steer the affairs of the party for the time being. This must be done in the next two days. This is the path to true reconciliation and stability of the party. It is also the best way to give confidence to our members who intend to contest elections on the PDP platform,” the politician stated.
