With just two days to its highly anticipated National Convention in Ibadan, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is once again thrown into uncertainty as fresh litigations, internal divisions, and mounting legal hurdles threaten to upend the exercise.

Amid conflicting court orders and deepening disquiet within its ranks, there are strong indications that the party’s leadership may opt for the constitution of a Caretaker Committee as a temporary measure to avert a total breakdown of order.

Sources within the party told The Guardian on Thursday that the idea, which some senior stakeholders have quietly canvased, followed concerns that proceeding with the convention might compound existing legal troubles and expose the party to further judicial invalidation.

Former Senate President and two-time governor of Kwara State, Dr. Bukola Saraki, added a dramatic twist to the unfolding crisis on Thursday when he publicly urged the PDP to shelve the Ibadan convention, warning that “going ahead will only deepen the crisis and endanger reconciliation.”

In a statement issued after a meeting with members of the PDP Board of Trustees (BoT) Reconciliation Team led by Ambassador Hassan Adamu (Wakili Adamawa), Saraki lamented that the convention had become “mired in extensive controversy, both political and legal.”

“As it stands, there are conflicting court orders in relation to the validity of the scheduled convention,” he said. “There is no assurance that the conduct and outcome will stand. No serious politician will risk contesting on the PDP platform under such uncertain conditions.”

The former Senate President maintained that political crises are best resolved through dialogue, not litigation, and advised that a Caretaker Committee should be immediately established within the next two days “to steer the affairs of the party and restore confidence among members.”

“The path to true reconciliation lies in suspending the convention and creating a neutral caretaker leadership. Anything short of that is a waste of effort,” Saraki warned, insisting that proceeding with the event “will only fuel the present crisis.”

Meanwhile, the Abdulrahman-led faction of the PDP is reportedly awaiting an injunction from the Court of Appeal to halt the Ibadan convention.

The faction, which has approached the appellate court for an interpretation of the ruling of Justice Omotosho of the Federal High Court, Abuja, is confident that an order will be granted before the weekend.

A senior member of the faction confided that once the order is issued, the group expects law enforcement agencies to “swiftly enforce the court’s directive to prevent a breach of peace and ensure compliance.”

“We are not against the convention per se,” the source said, “but the process must be lawful. If the appellate court rules otherwise, the Police and DSS must step in to halt any illegality.”

But the Umar Damagum-led National Working Committee (NWC) and the 2025 National Convention Organising Committee (NCOC) have dismissed the claims, describing them as a “failed attempt by the ruling APC to destabilise the opposition and impose a one-party state.”

In a statement signed by Debo Ologunagba, PDP’s suspended National Publicity Secretary, the party reaffirmed that the convention will “go on as scheduled on Saturday, 15th to Sunday, 16th November 2025, in Ibadan.”

“We urge Nigerians to disregard misleading claims being peddled by individuals recruited by the APC to create confusion,” Ologunagba said. “The PDP remains united, focused, and prepared to conduct a credible and transparent convention that will strengthen democracy.”

He assured delegates, party leaders, and international observers that all logistics and security arrangements had been finalised, describing the Ibadan convention as “a landmark democratic milestone.”

Ibadan agog for #Ibadan2025.

Already, Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, has taken on a festive air as banners, posters, and billboards flood major streets welcoming over 3,000 delegates from across the 36 states and the FCT.

Governor Seyi Makinde, who is hosting the event, has personally overseen venue preparations at the Lekan Salami Stadium, Adamasingba, ensuring that logistics, security, and accommodation are in top shape.

The convention, tagged #Ibadan2025, serves as a platform for the election of new national officers, including a National Chairman, and is expected to draw members of the Diplomatic Corps, who have confirmed their attendance in a show of international solidarity for democratic renewal in Nigeria.

Observers see this year’s convention as a make-or-break moment for the PDP, which has struggled to reclaim its footing since losing power in 2015. While some party elders advocate reconciliation and restructuring, others insist the Ibadan convention offers the best opportunity to reset the opposition’s machinery ahead of the 2027 general elections.

As one party chieftain put it last night: “Whether it ends in a Caretaker Committee or a new leadership, this weekend will define the soul of the PDP and perhaps the future of opposition politics in Nigeria.”