Former Senate President Bukola Saraki has disclosed that he has no intention of contesting the presidency or any other elective office come the 2027 general elections. Saraki made the declaration while speaking on Politics Today, a programme on Channels Television, on Thursday. He said, “I’m not running for president in 2027,” Saraki said when asked if he would contest the 2027 presidential election.
He also maintained that despite the ongoing internal crises in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), the party remains a formidable political force in the country.
Responding to claims that the PDP is “dead and buried", he said such perceptions are largely driven by disagreements among party elites rather than the reality at the grassroots.
“When you stay here in Abuja, you might say that because of the noise from leaders having disagreements. But when you go to the states and the grassroots, you’ll find that PDP is still very, very strong,” he said.
Using his state, Kwara, as an example, the former governor noted that feedback from stakeholders and grassroots members continues to show strong loyalty to the party.
Analysing the party’s internal matters, Saraki revealed that although he initially opposed the PDP convention held in Ibadan, he later allowed delegates from Kwara State to participate after assurances that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) would be present to ensure legitimacy.
He, however, noted that the commission did not attend, stressing that the exercise ought to have been halted under such circumstances.
The former Senate President also dismissed rumours suggesting he was considering defection to the All Progressives Congress or any other platform, reaffirming his commitment to the PDP.
He criticised the APC for failing to uphold true multi-party democracy by conscripting others into a one-party state.
However, Saraki clarified that he holds no personal grudge against Bola Ahmed Tinubu over the political challenges he faced during his tenure as Senate President.
