Bukola Saraki Warns Of National Embarrassment If Internal PDP Disputes Prevent 2027 General Election Participation

Bukola Saraki describes the risk of the PDP missing the 2027 ballot as shameful, urging leaders to reconcile and provide a platform for new candidates.

By: AXL Media

Published: Mar 30, 2026, 6:07 AM EDT

Source: The information in this article was sourced from Politics Nigeria

A Somber Warning from the Convention Floor

Bukola Saraki, the former President of the Senate and a key figure in Nigerian opposition politics, has characterized the potential exclusion of the Peoples Democratic Party from the 2027 elections as a "shameful" possibility. During an interview conducted at the Moshood Abiola National Stadium on Sunday, Saraki argued that the party’s primary responsibility is to ensure its internal crises do not disenfranchise its own members. He stressed that the survival of the party as a legal entity on the ballot is not merely a political goal but a moral obligation to those who seek to contest elective positions under its umbrella.

The Personal Cost of Political Reconciliation

The path to the 2026 National Convention was described by Saraki as a grueling journey marked by significant personal and political attacks. As a leader deeply involved in the party’s reconciliation committees, he noted that the process of bringing disparate factions together has been met with frequent criticism and resistance. According to Saraki, those steering the reconciliation efforts had to endure these "several attacks" to reach a point where a national convention could even take place. This narrative highlights the deep seated animosities that have defined the PDP’s internal landscape since the previous general election cycle.

Validation Through Regulatory Presence

Despite the friction preceding the event, Saraki expressed a sense of relief upon witnessing the official attendance and the participation of regulatory bodies. He specifically pointed to the presence of officials from the Independent National Electoral Commission as a critical factor in validating the legitimacy of the exercise. Saraki maintained that the sight of INEC observers provided a much needed boost to the confidence of party members, who have been concerned about the legal standing of their leadership. This regulatory oversight, in his view, is what separates a valid political transition from a mere factional gathering.