Major opposition parties have formally agreed to adopt a single presidential candidate for the 2027 election as they seek to challenge the ruling party’s dominance.
The decision was reached on Saturday at a high-level summit of opposition leaders held in Ibadan, where prominent political figures gathered to chart a common strategy ahead of the next electoral cycle.
The meeting, presided over by former President Olusegun Obasanjo, brought together key stakeholders from major opposition platforms, including the Peoples Democratic Party, African Democratic Congress, and New Nigeria Peoples Party.
The summit, themed “That We May Work Together for a United Opposition to Sustain Our Democracy,” was convened as part of efforts to strengthen collaboration among opposition forces amid growing concerns over Nigeria’s economic and security challenges.
Among those in attendance were former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, former Anambra State governor Peter Obi, and former Kano State governor Rabiu Kwankwaso, underscoring the significance of the gathering.
The event was hosted by Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde, with other notable political figures including former Sokoto State governor Aminu Tambuwal and Labour Party chieftain Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour also in attendance.
During the summit, leaders from across the political spectrum emphasized that a unified front is essential to provide voters with a viable alternative and to address the pressing economic and governance challenges facing the country.
They emphasized that fielding a single presidential candidate for the 2027 general election is a major step toward building a united front against the ruling party.
The statement reads: “Participating Opposition Parties in Nigeria, after an extensive deliberation on the collective threats that we face and the existential challenges facing our country under the stranglehold of the oppressive and anti-democratic All Progressives Congress (APC) and given the need for urgent, collective action to rescue our nation and the destiny of over 200 million compatriots, hereby resolve as follows:
“1. That 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.
“2. That despite the onslaughts and manoeuvrings of the ruling party, the APC to impose President Bola Tinubu as the sole Presidential candidate in 2027; we shall field candidates and contest the 2027 Presidential and other elections.
“3. That 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.
“4. That the INEC Chairman, Prof. Joash Ojo Amupitan, having shown bias and partisanship in favour of the ruling APC, should not conduct the 2027 general elections as Nigerians across board have lost confidence in him and his capacity to guarantee the required neutrality to deliver free, fair, transparent, and credible elections. His continuous stay in office is vexatious and capable of triggering widespread crisis in our nation.
“5. The National Assembly should immediately review the Electoral Act, 2026 to remove all sections that threaten the sanctity and integrity of the elections and run counter to constitutional provisions.
“6. That all leading politicians who 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.
“7. We consider the recent guidelines released by the INEC as obstacles, deliberately engineered to impose conditions and deadlines on the opposition parties. We therefore demand that INEC extend the deadline for primaries till the end of July, 2026.
“8. The Summit commends Nigerians for their resilience and readiness to work with Opposition Parties to free our nation from State capture.
“9. The National Summit of Opposition Political Parties thanks the Oyo State Governor Engr. Seyi Makinde and the people of Oyo State for hosting the epochal event.”
