Saraki: I Advised PDP Not to Proceed with Ibadan Convention

Bukola Saraki, former President of the Senate, stated that the crisis currently affecting the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) was preventable had the party leadership taken his warnings regarding the contentious Ibadan national convention seriously.

"I raised alarms at the time and urged that we should avoid holding this convention," Saraki remarked during a discussion on Channels Television.

He suggested that forming a caretaker committee would have been a more suitable approach at that time.

He pointed out that the results of the convention proved that his concerns were valid.

"I clearly articulated my stance before a special committee, advising against attending that convention. Establishing a caretaker committee was the best course, and doing so would have helped prevent the emergence of multiple factions within the party," he explained.

Saraki, who led the PDP reconciliation committee at that period, highlighted that the convention proceeded despite unresolved internal disputes.

"The aim of the Ibadan gathering was for everyone to reach a consensus on the future direction. Conventions should be for affirmations, necessitating that issues are settled beforehand," he added.

He indicated that many significant problems remained unaddressed, such as incomplete congresses in certain states and disputes regarding the distribution of party positions.

"There were unresolved congresses in various states and uncertainty about who should occupy which roles. Therefore, there was no justification for conducting that convention at all," he concluded.

Saraki emphasized that the choice to move forward despite these significant gaps triggered the ongoing legal controversies and factional divisions.

"We warned against going to Ibadan, stating it was pointless. Had we heeded that warning, this crisis might have been averted," he added.

He further noted that in the lead-up to the convention, the party had managed to maintain unity despite increasing pressures.

"With utmost humility, I can assert that the current situation could have unfolded much earlier. We were able to sustain unity for several months," he remarked.

"People believed we would fail to convene a NEC meeting or unite the governors, but we succeeded in doing so," Soraki stated.

He mentioned that his committee worked diligently to stabilize the party, mediating among governors, former governors, and other stakeholders to foster unity.

"We were the last party to remain united without splintering into factions, successfully navigating numerous potential pitfalls," he affirmed.

The former Kwara State Governor warned that if the ongoing crisis remains unaddressed, it could significantly weaken the PDP ahead of upcoming elections, particularly as the party continues to face internal discord stemming from the Ibadan convention.

Reports indicate that the Ibadan convention, which took place in November 2025 under a faction aligned with Kabiru Turaki, has subsequently become a catalyst for legal disputes and increased divisions within the party.

The situation intensified when the Court of Appeal in Abuja upheld a lower court's decision that restrained the PDP from executing the convention, citing procedural violations.

Justice Uchechukwu Onyemenam stated that the PDP failed to adhere to necessary regulations, including adequately notifying the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).