Bukola Saraki Urges Peoples Democratic Party Leaders to End Court Battles, Hold Fresh Convention

Former Senate President Bukola Saraki has called on leaders and stakeholders of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to halt ongoing court battles over the party’s disputed national convention and focus instead on organising a new convention that complies with electoral regulations.

Saraki made the appeal on Tuesday in a statement shared on his official social media platform, urging party members to accept recent court rulings and prioritise unity ahead of preparations for the 2027 general elections.

His remarks followed a decision by the Court of Appeal of Nigeria which upheld earlier rulings nullifying the PDP national convention held in November 2025 in Ibadan, Oyo State. The court’s judgment effectively barred the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) from recognising the outcome of the convention.

Reacting to the ruling, Saraki said the party should accept the legal outcome and quickly move to organise a fresh convention in line with INEC’s revised electoral timetable. According to him, further litigation could delay the party’s internal processes and create uncertainty around the validity of candidates seeking to contest elections on the PDP platform.

He warned that prolonged legal disputes could jeopardise the chances of party members preparing to contest various offices in the 2027 elections, including seats in state houses of assembly, the House of Representatives, the Senate, governorship positions and the presidency.

Saraki emphasised that a key function of any political party is to provide a credible platform for aspirants to contest elections. He therefore urged PDP leaders to ensure internal disagreements do not undermine the aspirations of party members who hope to run for public office.

The former governor of Kwara State also appealed to aggrieved party leaders to set aside personal grievances and focus on the broader interest of the party. He noted that while court battles may have left some individuals dissatisfied, true leadership requires prioritising collective progress over individual ambitions.

According to Saraki, the party’s immediate priority should be rebuilding unity and stability by organising an inclusive national convention that reflects the interests of all stakeholders. He suggested that party leaders adopt a spirit of compromise and cooperation to ensure a smooth process for electing new national officers.

Earlier, the Court of Appeal in Abuja dismissed the PDP’s appeal challenging an October 31 ruling delivered by Justice James Omotosho of the Federal High Court. The earlier judgment had restrained INEC from recognising the outcome of the PDP convention scheduled for November 15 and 16 in Ibadan.

In its unanimous decision, the three-member appellate panel ruled that the PDP’s appeal lacked merit and affirmed that the Federal High Court had jurisdiction to hear the case. The court also rejected the party’s claim that the dispute was purely an internal matter, holding that the plaintiffs had the legal standing to file the suit in defence of their democratic rights.

Additionally, the court ruled that the PDP was not denied a fair hearing during the trial proceedings and ordered the party faction involved in the appeal to pay ₦2 million in costs for filing what it described as a frivolous case.

Saraki maintained that, in light of the court’s decision and the tight electoral timetable, the most practical path forward for the PDP is to end legal disputes and concentrate on organising a credible and inclusive convention that would position the party for the 2027 elections.