Saraki Urges PDP to Suspend Ibadan Convention Amid Court Battles, Calls for Caretaker Committee

Former Senate President, Dr. Bukola Saraki, has urged the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to suspend its planned national convention scheduled for November 15 and 16, 2025, in Ibadan, Oyo State, citing ongoing legal and political controversies surrounding the exercise.

Saraki made the call on Wednesday night in a statement shared via his official X (Twitter) handle after meeting with members of the PDP Board of Trustees (BoT) Reconciliation Committee led by Ambassador Hassan Adamu, who visited him in Abuja to seek his input on restoring peace within the party.

Describing the meeting as “meaningful and incisive,” the former Kwara State governor said discussions focused on urgent issues threatening the unity and stability of the PDP.

He expressed concern that despite the “selfless and arduous efforts” of some party leaders to reconcile warring factions, the planned Ibadan convention has been overshadowed by legal disputes that could undermine its legitimacy.

Saraki warned that conflicting court orders regarding the convention’s validity pose serious risks to the credibility of any outcome from the exercise.

“As it stands, there is no assurance that the conduct and outcome of the convention will stand. Political matters can hardly be resolved through the courts. The affairs of political parties are best settled amicably with all sides at the table. Legal battles will only continue to cause friction,” he said.

The former Senate President added that as a responsible leader, he could not support any action that might further divide the party or endanger the aspirations of its members.

To this end, he advised the BoT to recommend the immediate formation of a Caretaker Committee to steer the party’s affairs and restore members’ confidence.

“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 within the next two days. This is the path to true reconciliation and stability of the party. It will also reassure members who wish to contest elections under the PDP platform,” Saraki stated.

He cautioned that going ahead with the convention under the present circumstances would only worsen the crisis and waste valuable resources.

“No serious politician with electoral ambition will contest on the PDP platform without knowing whether his or her nomination will be valid or nullified. Going ahead with the Ibadan convention is a waste of effort. It does not have my support,” he added.

The PDP has been engulfed in deepening internal wrangling in recent weeks following a series of suspensions and counter-suspensions among key party figures.

The National Working Committee (NWC), led by Acting National Chairman Umar Damagum, had suspended the party’s National Secretary, Senator Samuel Anyanwu, and others over alleged anti-party activities. In response, the Anyanwu faction declared the Damagum-led leadership illegal and announced the suspension of the acting chairman and some NWC members.

The crisis has been further compounded by multiple court rulings. A Federal High Court in Abuja recently halted the convention over alleged procedural flaws, but the party leadership insists the event will proceed, arguing that the court lacks jurisdiction to stop it.