Plans to appoint former Senate President, Bukola Saraki, as the national chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and revitalize the party have encountered obstacles. The PDP has been grappling with internal conflicts since before the general elections. Dr. Iyorchia Ayu, the party’s National Chairman, was replaced by Umar Damagum, the deputy national chairman (North), in an acting capacity after the party’s loss in the presidential election to President Bola Tinubu of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
Concerned by the party’s situation, critical stakeholders convened in Abuja last week to strategize on restoring the party’s relevance. Among their plans was to bring in Saraki as chairman due to his influential stature and extensive network both within and outside the country.
However, some associates of the former Kwara State governor, who were aware of the plan, opposed the idea during a meeting in Abuja. They argued that Saraki had already revived the party by convincing several former members who had defected to the APC to return to the PDP. They expressed regret over the party’s complete destruction under the previous leadership due to personal conflicts and vested interests. As a result, they believed Saraki should not be burdened with rebuilding the party from scratch.
In addition, the fate of the G-5 governors, who contributed to the party’s failure in the presidential election, remains undecided. Various party organs, including the National Working Committee (NWC), Board of Trustees (BoT), and a special Select committee, have held meetings to deliberate on this issue and other challenges facing the party. However, a decision on the G-5 governors and other matters is yet to be reached, pending a future meeting of the National Executive Council (NEC).
Responding to these developments, the PDP’s National Publicity Secretary, Mr. Debo Ologunagba, stated that the speculation surrounding Saraki’s potential appointment was not something the party could comment on. He affirmed that the party, as an organization, was unaware of any such plan.