Former Senate President and ex-Kwara State Governor, Dr. Bukola Saraki, has said the presidency in 2027 should remain in the South, insisting it is only fair to allow the region complete an eight-year tenure following the election of President Bola Tinubu in 2023.
Saraki, who spoke on Politics Today on Channels Television on Thursday, ruled out any personal ambition for the 2027 presidential race, stating that his position aligns with his party’s zoning arrangement and his own conviction about equity.
“I’m not running for president in 2027,” he said. “After the 2023 election… Nigeria chose to elect President Bola Tinubu from the South. I think it’s only fair to allow the South… to complete the eight years. I supported the party’s decision to zone the presidency to the South, and I abide by that.”
Addressing the lingering crisis within the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Saraki dismissed suggestions that he should take responsibility for the party’s internal divisions, maintaining that his reconciliation efforts delayed an earlier breakdown.
“Not at all,” he said when asked if he should apologise. “What we saw now would have happened a long time ago. We kept it together for months… we avoided all the booby traps along the way.”
He revealed that he had strongly advised against the controversial Ibadan convention, warning it would worsen divisions within the party.
“I screamed, I shouted at that time, I said, ‘look, don’t let us go and do this convention.’ The best thing… was to have a caretaker committee. If we had done that, we would not have this crisis,” Saraki stated.
Despite the crisis, the former Senate President expressed confidence that the PDP remains viable and capable of competing in future elections, dismissing claims that the party is on the verge of collapse.
“When you go into the grassroots… you’ll find out that PDP is still very, very strong,” he said. “It is sellable… not only in Kwara, it is sellable across the country.”
Saraki also denied allegations of factional alignment within the party, including claims that he is politically aligned with the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike.
“I’m not a Wike man,” he said. “I will not disown our friendship, but that does not draw you from doing the right thing… PDP must provide a platform for people to contest elections.”
On speculation about possible defection, Saraki reaffirmed his loyalty to the PDP, saying, “If I’m going somewhere, you will know about it… I’ve made it clear that I’m going to stay here in PDP.”
He stressed that the immediate priority for the party is to resolve its internal disputes and ensure its legitimacy ahead of future elections.
“The key issue now… is to ensure PDP is on the ballot paper,” he said. “Once we have a convention recognised by INEC and a legitimate National Working Committee, people will have the confidence to contest.”
Saraki further rejected the notion that the PDP is politically finished, likening its current situation to a temporary setback rather than a terminal decline.
“It is not that we are dead or in ICU,” he said. “All the issues that we have can easily be treated… PDP will come back.”
On national politics, Saraki avoided taking a firm position on President Tinubu’s performance but reiterated his opposition to any drift toward a one-party system.
“That concept of a one-party state is not good for democracy,” he warned, adding that Nigerians must be given credible alternatives.
He also declined to commit to supporting Tinubu in 2027, even if some PDP figures endorse the president, saying his decision would depend on his party’s eventual candidate.
“I have not taken a position… I’m waiting for the primaries that will come out of my party, and at that time, I will decide what I’m going to do,” he said.
Speaking on his home state, Saraki criticised the current security situation in Kwara, arguing that conditions have worsened compared to his time in office.
“Before, we were safe. We were not dying,” he said. “Now… Kwara has become an emerging area for terrorism and attacks.”
While ruling out contesting any elective office in 2027, including a return to the Senate, Saraki said his focus remains on supporting good governance and strengthening his party ahead of the next electoral cycle.
“I’m not going to the Senate. I’m not running for president,” he said. “My responsibility is to do my best to see that they have the best type of governance… which I believe PDP can provide.”
