Former Senate President, Abubakar Bukola Saraki has called on leaders and stakeholders of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to bury their differences and accept the verdict of the Court of Appeal in order to allow the party move forward and prepare for the 2027 general elections.
Saraki made the appeal while reacting to Monday’s judgement by the Court of Appeal (Nigeria) on the party’s national convention held in Ibadan last year. He urged party leaders to see the ruling as an opportunity to end ongoing litigations and focus on holding a fresh national convention in line with the guidelines of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
According to him, the revised timetable released by INEC leaves the party with little time to wait for a possible Supreme Court decision, warning that prolonged legal battles could jeopardize the party’s ability to nominate candidates for the 2027 elections.
“My position is that the Court of Appeal has ruled. With the revised timetable by INEC, it is obvious there is no time to wait for the Supreme Court decision. Otherwise, we would miss the deadlines for completing the process of nominating candidates,” Saraki stated.
He added that uncertainty over the validity of candidates’ tickets could persist if the dispute continues, stressing that the party must prioritize protecting the aspirations of members seeking to contest elections on the PDP platform.
Saraki emphasized that one of the fundamental roles of a political party is to provide a platform for candidates to seek public office, noting that internal disputes should not undermine that purpose.
The former Senate President also acknowledged that the legal battle may have bruised the egos of some party leaders but urged them to rise above personal interests for the greater good of the party.
According to him, true leadership requires the ability to set aside personal grievances in order to serve the collective interest of the party and the public.
Saraki warned that continued litigation could undermine the hopes of many grassroots members who have invested time and resources in mobilizing support for the party with the intention of contesting positions ranging from state assemblies and the National Assembly to governorship and presidential offices.
He therefore urged PDP leaders to adopt a spirit of compromise and work towards organizing an all-inclusive national convention within the INEC timetable.
“The only viable option open to all of us is to sit down, discuss, and work towards holding an all-inclusive national convention that complies with INEC guidelines,” he said, adding that there was no time for continued bickering and grandstanding.
