Tensions have escalated in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) as two former Senate Presidents, Adolphus Wabara and Bukola Saraki, clash over whether the party’s national convention, scheduled for tomorrow in Ibadan, Oyo State, should go ahead.

Saraki: Convention Should Be Halted

Saraki, a former Kwara State governor, argued that holding the convention amid ongoing legal disputes would worsen the party’s crisis. After meeting with the PDP Board of Trustees (BoT) Reconciliation Team, he called for a Caretaker Committee to manage party affairs temporarily and restore calm.

“Going ahead with the National Convention on November 15–16 will only fuel the present crisis. It does not have my support,” Saraki said, citing conflicting court orders and uncertainty over the convention’s legitimacy.

He emphasized that political conflicts should be resolved amicably, not through the courts, and stressed his responsibility to protect the interests of his constituents and uphold democratic stability.

Wabara: Convention Must Proceed

In contrast, BoT chairman Wabara insisted the convention would go ahead as planned, noting that all major party organs, including the Governors’ Forum and National Working Committee (NWC), had agreed. He said only a court order could halt it.

“All these problems in the PDP are self-inflicted, rooted in personal ambitions. As far as the organs of the party are concerned, the convention will hold,” Wabara said.

He also criticized contradictory court orders that challenge Supreme Court rulings and highlighted the BoT’s limited financial capacity to enforce reconciliation efforts.

Committee Report

Chief Mike Oghiadomhe, committee secretary, said the team consulted widely with top stakeholders, including Saraki, the NWC, the Governors’ Forum, and the FCT Minister. He described the report as a roadmap for sustainable and progressive party administration, aimed at resolving the PDP’s ongoing internal disputes.

The party remains divided as the convention approaches, with legal uncertainty and leadership disagreements threatening to overshadow the event.