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Opposition political parties in Nigeria on Saturday declared an all-out push to prevent the All Progressives Congress, APC, from “foisting a one-party state” on the country, as they unveiled a joint action plan ahead of the 2027 general elections.
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.
In the strongly worded communiqué read by factional chairman of the People’s Democratic Party(PDP) Taminu Turaki SAN, the opposition bloc resolved to field candidates for the 2027 presidential and other elections, “despite onslaughts and manoeuvrings” by the ruling APC to impose President Bola Tinubu as the sole candidate.
The parties pledged to work towards fielding one presidential candidate in 2027, to be jointly agreed upon and supported by all participating opposition parties “to rescue our nation and her long-suffering masses.”
The summit demanded that INEC Chairman, Prof. Joash Amupitan, should not conduct the 2027 polls, accusing him of “bias and partisanship in favour of the ruling APC.”
They argued that Nigerians have lost confidence in him and his capacity to guarantee neutrality,warning that his continued stay is vexatious and capable of triggering widespread crisis.
The summit also urged the National Assembly to immediately review the Electoral Act, 2026 to expunge provisions that threaten the sanctity and integrity of elections.
The bloc called for the immediate release of all leading politicians detained or harassed on bailable offences to allow full participation in the democratic process.
Describing recent INEC guidelines as “obstacles deliberately engineered to impose conditions on opposition parties,” the summit demanded that the deadline for primaries be extended till the end of July 2026.
The communiqué described Nigeria as being under the stranglehold of the oppressive and anti-democratic APC and said urgent, collective action was needed to “rescue our nation and the destiny of over 200 million compatriots.”
The summit commended Nigerians for their resilience and thanked Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde and the people of Oyo State for hosting what it called an “epochal event.”
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.
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.”
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.”
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.”
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.
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.”
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.”
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.
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.“
“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.”
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.“
“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.”
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.”
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.”
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.”
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.”
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.”
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.”
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.”
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.”
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.”
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.”
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.”
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.”
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.”
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.”
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).
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.”
