Two former Senate Presidents and key figures of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), Bukola Saraki and Adolphus Wabara, yesterday expressed divergent views over the legality of the party going ahead with its proposed national convention.
Saraki in a statement on his official X handle shortly after hosting members of the PDP Board of Trustees (BoT) Reconciliation Team, led by Amb. Hassan Adamu, at his residence in Abuja, urged the PDP to suspend its planned national convention slated for November 15–16 in Ibadan, Oyo State.
The former Senate President cited conflicting court rulings and worsening internal divisions in the party as reasons for his submission. Saraki, a former governor of Kwara State, warned that proceeding with the convention amid conflicting judicial orders would deepen the party’s crisis and further erode public confidence in its leadership.
The delegation had visited the former Senate President to consult on ways to restore peace and cohesion within the party.
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Describing the meeting as “meaningful and incisive,” Saraki said critical issues affecting the stability of the PDP were thoroughly discussed.
“Despite the selfless efforts by some of us, the proposed convention has become mired in political and legal controversies that do not bode well for our party or Nigeria’s democracy.
“As it stands, there are conflicting court orders on the convention. There’s no assurance its outcome will stand. Political disputes are best resolved through dialogue, not through endless litigation,” he said.
‘BoT should set up caretaker c’ttee’
The former Kwara governor also advised the BoT to immediately constitute a Caretaker Committee to manage the affairs of the party temporarily.
“This is the path to true reconciliation and stability. It’s also how we can give confidence to those contesting elections on our platform. Going ahead with the convention in Ibadan will only fuel the current crisis. It does not have my support. It’s not too late to find a win-win solution,” Saraki stressed.
Daily Trust reports that the PDP has been thrown into confusion as various court judgements have placed the legality of the scheduled convention in limbo.
Convention will hold as planned – Wabara
But Adolphus Wabara, Chairman of the PDP BoT, said the party’s long-awaited national convention will hold as planned, despite growing calls from some members for a caretaker committee to be established instead.
He spoke yesterday at his Abuja residence during the presentation of the report of the BoT Reconciliation Committee.
The committee, chaired by Amb Hassan Adamu with Chief Mike Oghiadomhe as secretary, was established to resolve internal disputes and facilitate a smooth convention.
“The organs of the party, before these individual opinions, had agreed that we would go to the convention. The Governors’ Forum, the NWC, and the BoT in our last meeting made mention of us going to the convention,” Wabara said.
Daily Trust reports that on October 31, Justice James Omotosho of the Federal High Court, Abuja, barred the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) from monitoring the convention, citing the party’s failure to comply with statutory notice requirements.
Later on November 11, another Abuja High Court, presided over by Justice Peter Lifu, also restrained the PDP and INEC from proceeding with the exercise.
However, in a contrasting ruling, Justice Ladiran Akintola of the Ibadan High Court extended an earlier order allowing the convention to hold, provided the PDP adhered strictly to its published guidelines.
Also, Justice Lifu of the Federal High Court Abuja had restrained the PDP from going ahead with its scheduled convention pending the hearing and determination of the substantive suit filed by Sule Lamido, a former governor of Jigawa State against the party.
- Dailytrust
