By Imisioluwa Afunmiso
Former Senate President and ex-Kwara Gov. Bukola Saraki has reiterated the need for unity within the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), confirming he will not contest the party’s presidential ticket in the 2027 general elections.
Speaking during an interview, Saraki said his focus has been on maintaining party cohesion and keeping the PDP together rather than pursuing personal political ambition.
“The key goal of PDP is to create a platform for people who want to contest, prioritising the people,” he said.
Saraki dismissed claims of aligning with former Rivers State Gov. Nyesom Wike, stating that his efforts have been centered on keeping the PDP together.
When questioned regarding the current crisis in the party, he recalled advising against the controversial 2025 convention in Ibadan, suggesting instead that a caretaker committee should have been appointed.
“All I have done till now is keeping PDP together. The efforts I’ve put in mean PDP could have grown much earlier, but unfortunately, errors were made during the Ibadan convention,” he said. “Our aim is to give voters a platform to participate.”
PDP remains strong despite internal challenges and defections to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), he said, adding that the party is viable nationwide and that disagreements among party leaders do not reflect the views of grassroots members.
“Across the states, PDP is still very strong. People continue to show loyalty and affiliation to the party,” he said.
On the upcoming 2027 general elections, Saraki advocated for the PDP presidential ticket to be zoned to the South, while the national chairmanship remains in the North-Central region. Regarding Kwara politics, he said: “Let the best candidate win, regardless of their state of origin or religion.”
Saraki emphasised that his decision to forgo the presidential race is driven by principle rather than a lack of interest in the party’s affairs. “I want to give Nigerians a chance and choice when they vote. PDP must not die,” he said.
He confirmed his intention to attend the PDP’s forthcoming national convention and urged members to participate actively, stressing that a strong opposition is vital for Nigeria’s democracy.