Former Senate President, Dr Abubakar Bukola Saraki, has called on leaders and stakeholders of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to accept the recent Court of Appeal ruling on the party’s Ibadan national convention and work towards a fresh, INEC-compliant convention.
In a statement signed by Yusuph Olaniyonu, Head of the Abubakar Bukola Saraki Media Office, on Tuesday, March 10, Saraki emphasised that the party must prioritise preparing candidates for the 2027 elections over continuing litigation.
“My own position is that the Court of Appeal has ruled. However, with the revised timetable by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), it is obvious that there is no time to wait for the Supreme Court decision.
“Otherwise, we would not meet the deadlines for completing the process of nominating candidates,” Saraki said.
He warned that ongoing legal disputes could create uncertainty over the validity of PDP nomination tickets and undermine the chances of members seeking to contest elections on the party’s platform.
“One of the key essentials of a political party is to provide a platform for candidates seeking to serve the people by contesting elections. We should not defeat this purpose.
“It is for these reasons that I believe the only option open to all of us is to end all litigation and work with the arrangements that are on the ground for holding a national convention within the INEC timetable,” he added.
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Saraki acknowledged that egos had been bruised within the party but stressed that statesmanship and patriotism should take precedence over personal interests.
“I know that at this stage, egos have been bruised. However, the difference between an ordinary man and a statesman, between a person and a patriot, between a follower and a leader is the ability to rise above the din and ignore personal interests to serve the larger common interests and public good,” he said.
He also highlighted the stakes for grassroots members who have invested time and resources to participate in elections.
“Feuding leaders should not allow their ego and personal differences to jeopardise, undermine, and defeat the aspirations of these honest, devoted and committed party members by depriving them of the opportunity to subject themselves to the verdict of the electorate. That is what these leaders will be doing if anybody continues with the litigation,” Saraki stated.
The former Senate President concluded by urging PDP leaders to embrace compromise and inclusivity in planning the national convention.
“The only viable option open to all of us is to sit down, discuss, and work towards holding an all-inclusive national convention at a time that will comply with INEC guidelines.
“What should be paramount to all of us is to adopt a give-and-take attitude that will ensure we accommodate all interests in the election of officers at the national convention.
“We should let the sleeping dog lie peacefully. There is really no time for continuous bickering and grandstanding,” he said.