Former Senate President Bukola Saraki on Tuesday urged the leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party to stop the growing court battles over the disputed Ibadan national convention. He advised them to move swiftly to organize a fresh, INEC compliant national convention.
His intervention follows an appellate ruling that effectively stripped the Turaki faction of the legal cover it had claimed since November 2025.
Saraki’s public appeal, issued through his media office and posted on Facebook, frames the argument in blunt electoral terms.
With the Independent National Electoral Commission timetable now revised, he said the party cannot afford to wait for further appeals. The party must instead prioritise the practical mechanics of fielding candidates in 2027.
The former Kwara governor warned that continued litigation risks disenfranchising hundreds of PDP hopefuls and imperilling the party’s electoral preparations.
What the Court decided
A three member panel of the Court of Appeal in Abuja confirmed previous decisions. These decisions were made by the Federal High Court. The court declared the Ibadan convention of 15 and 16 November 2025 void.
The appellate panel found that the party failed to meet essential constitutional and statutory requirements before proceeding with the convention.
The findings included the absence of valid notice to INEC. There was also a failure to conduct valid congresses in more than 14 states. This is required by the PDP constitution and the Electoral Act.
The judgment also restrained INEC from recognising the outcome of the convention including the emergence of Taminu Turaki.
The legal reasoning carries sharp practical consequences. Delivering the lead judgment, the court held the Federal High Court had jurisdiction to hear the matter. The court also rejected procedural challenges mounted by the Turaki group.
The panel further awarded costs against the appellants.
The upshot is a clear judicial signal. Internal party processes must mirror constitutional and statutory norms. This is required if party decisions are to stand judicial scrutiny.
The suspended officers and the party’s fracture
The Ibadan convention had elected a new National Working Committee. It had also disciplined senior party figures. In some cases, it suspended those accused of anti party activities.
Those suspensions include the names of Samuel Anyanwu, Kamaldeen Ajibade, Okechukwu Osuoha, and Umaru Bature. They have become just one more flashpoint in a widening intra party crisis.
The Court of Appeal has affirmed some of those disciplinary outcomes. It voided the convention that produced them. This left the party institutionally compromised.
Saraki’s prescription is plain and political. He calls for dialogue compromise and an all inclusive convention that will command wide acceptance and withstand legal challenge.
He argued that egos must yield to collective interest. Political parties exist to provide electoral platforms. They should not become litigation machines.
For Saraki the clock is now the decisive arbiter. With INEC’s timetable constraining remedies by appeal the PDP must act to preserve access to the ballot for its candidates.
Why this matters for 2027
Beyond the immediate personalities, the dispute exposes structural weaknesses.
A major party faces serious consequences if its national instruments and congresses fall short of legal requirements. These consequences include the risk of disqualification of candidates. The party may also face the loss of registration or recognition in worst-case scenarios.
Observers warn that the longer internal disputes persist the heavier the toll on party morale fundraising and grassroots organisation.
Some analysts now openly question the PDP’s readiness for a united ticket in 2027. A quick and credible resolution is necessary for them to be fully prepared.
Practical options on the table
There are three practical pathways open to the party.
First a speedy inclusive convention scheduled within INEC’s revised timetable that repairs the procedural defects identified by the courts.
Second a negotiated caretaker arrangement that buys time for reconciliation while preserving the party’s ballot access.
Third continued litigation up to the Supreme Court. Saraki effectively discounted this route as impractical. This decision was due to the immediacy of electoral deadlines.
Each option involves trade offs between legal certainty and political legitimacy. Saraki is betting on the latter combined with procedural compliance.
A test of leadership and discipline
The crisis is now a test of leadership for the PDP elite.
• Will senior figures subordinate factional gains to collective interest?
• Will the Turaki camp submit to a fresh convention that may dilute its power?
• Will aggrieved governors and powerbrokers agree to a settlement that puts the party ahead of individuals?
These are the questions that will determine whether Saraki’s call for calm and compromise is heeded or ignored.
Conclusion. Saraki’s intervention is timely and strategic. It reframes a litigation battle as an existential organisational challenge. This reframing forces a choice between protracted courtroom warfare and pragmatic internal reconciliation.
The coming weeks will reveal whether the PDP can transform words into the procedural overhaul the courts need. Alternatively, the party might remain mired in dispute, with consequences that reach far beyond the next internal election.
For millions of Nigerians, the stakes are simple. A functioning opposition is essential to a credible democracy. The PDP’s ability to function will shape the contest for power in 2027.
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