Ibadan Conference: Rival Political Parties Agree to Unite Behind Single Presidential Contender for 2027 Election

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By Adeola Badru

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Opposition parties across Nigeria have declared their determination to challenge the dominance of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), warning of threats to democratic governance ahead of the 2027 general elections.

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The declaration was made in a communiqué issued after a national summit held in Ibadan on Saturday, where key opposition figures, including Atiku Abubakar, Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, Rotimi Amaechi, Peter Obi and Rauf Aregbesola, met to chart a common strategy.

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Reading the communiqué, the factional chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Taminu Turaki, said: “We shall resist all machinations by the APC to foist a one-party State on Nigeria and fight for the survival of multi-party democracy in our country.”

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On the 2027 elections, the opposition dismissed claims of a predetermined outcome, stating: “Despite the onslaughts and manoeuvrings of the ruling party… we shall field candidates and contest the 2027 Presidential and other elections.”

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The parties also signalled plans for a united ticket, declaring: “We shall work towards fielding one Presidential Candidate for the 2027 elections, which shall be agreed and supported by all participating opposition parties to rescue our nation and her long suffering masses.”

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Raising concerns about the electoral umpire, the communiqué stated: “The INEC Chairman, Joash Ojo Amupitan, having shown bias and partisanship in favour of the ruling APC, should not conduct the 2027 general elections.”

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It further warned: “His continuous stay in office is vexatious and capable of triggering widespread crisis in our nation.”

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On electoral reforms, the opposition urged lawmakers to act swiftly, saying: “The National Assembly should immediately review the Electoral Act, 2026 to remove all sections that threaten the sanctity and integrity of the elections.”

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The communiqué also addressed alleged political repression, stating: “All leading politicians that are being detained or harassed on bailable offences be released with immediate effect and allowed to exercise their fundamental rights of participation and inclusivity as Nigerians.”

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Criticising recent electoral guidelines, the parties said: “We consider the recent guidelines released by INEC as obstacles, deliberately engineered to impose conditions and deadlines on the opposition parties,” adding, “INEC [should] extend the deadline for primaries till the end of July, 2026.”

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Earlier in his address, the host governor, Seyi Makinde, warned that Nigeria’s democracy was facing a gradual erosion due to increasing political concentration and the weakening of opposition parties.

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He stated: “Across Nigeria today, we are witnessing a level of political concentration that should concern all of us… taken together, they point to a pattern where the space for real political competition is disappearing.”

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Makinde cautioned that democracy “is not destroyed overnight,” but “weakened step by step,” stressing that “when opposition becomes ineffective, democracy itself begins to lose meaning.”

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He emphasised that democracy must be defined by “the existence of real alternatives” and warned that without this, “what we have may still be called democracy, but it will no longer function as one.”

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Highlighting the significance of Ibadan as the venue, he noted: “Ibadan has always served as the political capital of southwest Nigeria… this gathering… carries that same responsibility” as past historic constitutional conversations.

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The governor also clarified the intent of the summit, saying: “It is not a gang-up against one man; and it is not about individual ambitions to be president. It is about the collective ambition of the Nigerian people to have a democracy properly defined.”

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Makinde, however, warned that: “Democracy without opposition is not democracy, it is a slow drift toward a one-party State. And Nigeria must not make that drift,” urging stakeholders to “think clearly, speak honestly, and act with a sense of responsibility that goes beyond party lines.”

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In his intervention, political economist and strategist, Pat Utomi, painted a stark picture of the country’s economic hardship, using a personal experience to illustrate the widening gap between living costs and citizens’ income.

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He said: “Let me begin with a simple experience from yesterday. I set out to buy fuel, and by the time I was done, I had spent nearly 250,000 naira just to fill my tank.“

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“At the same time, I came across a report showing that a large percentage of Nigerians live on less than 100,000 naira a month. That contrast is not just troubling, it is absurd. If that doesn’t reveal something fundamentally broken in our system, then nothing will.”

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Utomi noted that the crisis extended beyond fuel prices, stressing: “Food prices are rising, insecurity continues to disrupt agriculture, and ordinary people are struggling to survive.“

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“Yet we are often told to ‘be patient,’ that things will improve with time. But patience means very little to those who are hungry today.”

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Reflecting on Nigeria’s past, he added: “In the years leading up to independence, Nigeria was not industrialised, but there was a clear vision. Within a few years, manufacturing began to grow significantly. There was direction, there was purpose.”

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He argued that the country’s challenges were not only economic but moral, stating: “Leadership without character cannot build a nation. The crisis we face today is not only economic—it is moral.”

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Utomi further emphasised Nigeria’s untapped potential, saying: “Every region has resources, talent, and potential. Yet we have become overly dependent on oil, neglecting other sectors and weakening our economic foundation.”

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Calling for urgent reforms, he said: “We need leadership with character. We need policies that reflect our realities, not borrowed solutions that do not fit our context. Above all, we must listen to the voices of the people.”

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He expressed optimism that: “The situation we face is serious, but it is not hopeless. With the right leadership, the right values, and a shared commitment to progress, we can rebuild this nation and create a future that works for all.”

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Also addressing the summit, the National Chairman of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), David Mark, described the gathering as a critical moment in Nigeria’s history, calling it “an urgent response to our nation’s call to patriotic duty.”

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He said: “My prayer is that history will remember us, that when the nation cried out to be rescued, we answered. When children went to bed hungry, we answered, when proud, hardworking citizens were turned to beggars; we answered.”

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Raising alarm over insecurity, Mark stated: “Across the length and breadth of our country, insecurity has become a defining feature of daily life. Nigeria faces a historic challenge.”

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Citing grim statistics, he added: “In 2025 alone, Nigeria recorded more than 12,000 conflict-related deaths. Nigeria is now ranked 4th in global terrorism index. At least 15 Nigerians are killed daily, while about 19 people are abducted.”

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He criticised the government’s response, saying: “We are a nation that is constantly in mourning, yet the APC-led government is behaving as if all is well,” accusing it of being “preoccupied with election matters and politics of self-succession.”

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On democracy, Mark warned: “The essence of democracy is to provide the people with a choice… however, the ruling party has done everything to deny the people of Nigeria this very right to seek an alternative.”

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He described the opposition’s task as a “national rescue mission,” stressing: “No single opposition political party, can confront a system so entrenched. We must be united to salvage our nation.”

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Mark further alleged deliberate efforts to weaken opposition parties, stating: “The move towards a one-party state is real, institutions that should safeguard our freedom, are increasingly under assault.”

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He insisted that the struggle transcended politics, declaring: “This contest is between the ruling party APC, and the Nigerian people, we are on the side of the people.”

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Questioning the credibility of the electoral body, he said: “When the referee clearly and proudly wears the jersey of one of the teams, then the legitimacy of the entire process is undermined,” adding that Nigerians had lost confidence in the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

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He called for unity and sacrifice, noting that: “Let this summit go down in history as the moment when everything changed, we chose unity over division, sacrifice over self, and country above all.”

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