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

Saraki made the appeal in a statement on his official X (Twitter) handle on Wednesday night, following a meeting with members of the PDP Board of Trustees (BoT) Reconciliation Committee, led by Ambassador Hassan Adamu, who visited him at his Abuja residence to seek his views on restoring unity within the party.

Describing the meeting as “meaningful and incisive,” the former Kwara State governor said it focused on critical issues affecting the PDP’s cohesion and stability.

He expressed regret that despite the “selfless and arduous efforts” of some party leaders to resolve internal disputes, the upcoming convention had been mired in political and legal wrangling—an issue he said does not bode well for Nigeria’s democracy.

Saraki warned that conflicting court orders regarding the convention’s validity pose serious risks to the legitimacy of any outcomes.

“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.

Stressing his responsibility as a party leader, Saraki said he could not support any action that might jeopardize members’ aspirations or undermine internal cohesion.

He urged the BoT to recommend the immediate establishment of a Caretaker Committee to manage PDP affairs and restore confidence among members and prospective candidates.

“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,” he added.

Saraki warned that proceeding with the Ibadan convention under current circumstances would further deepen the crisis and be a waste of effort.

“In the present circumstance, no serious politician with electoral ambition will seek to contest on the platform of the PDP, not knowing whether his or her nomination will be valid or declared null and void. It is clear that going ahead with the National Convention in Ibadan on 15–16 November 2025 will only serve to further fuel the present crisis. Therefore, going ahead with the convention as scheduled is a waste of effort. It does not have my support,” he said.

The PDP crisis intensified in recent weeks following a series of internal suspensions and counter-suspensions involving key figures.

The National Working Committee, 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-led faction dismissed the decision as illegal and announced the suspension of the acting chairman and some NWC members, further widening divisions within the party.

These tensions coincided with a series of court rulings that compounded the PDP’s challenges ahead of the planned convention. A Federal High Court in Abuja issued an order halting the national convention, citing procedural irregularities. Despite this, party leadership insisted it would proceed with the Ibadan convention, arguing that the court lacked jurisdiction to stop it.