Leaders of major opposition parties have agreed to field one presidential candidate in the 2027 general election. The decision was announced on Saturday at a national summit held at the Banquet Hall of the Oyo State Government House in Ibadan. The meeting, hosted by Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde, brought together figures from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), African Democratic Congress (ADC), New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), and other political groups. The summit's theme was "That We May Work Together for a United Opposition to Sustain Our Democracy."
A factional PDP National Chairman, Kabiru Tanimu-Turaki, read the resolution, stating that opposition parties are determined to unite despite alleged efforts by the All Progressives Congress (APC) to position President Bola Tinubu as its sole candidate. "Despite the onslaughts and machinations of the ruling party, the APC, to ensure that President Bola Tinubu emerges as the sole presidential candidate in 2027, we shall field candidates and contest the 2027 presidential and other elections," he said. The resolution stated the opposition would "work towards fielding one presidential candidate" to rescue the nation and support the "long-suffering masses."
Opposition leaders also called for the resignation of INEC Chairman Professor Joash Ojo Amupitan, accusing him of bias in favour of the APC. They claimed his continued tenure could erode public trust and trigger political crises ahead of the election. Attendees included Atiku Abubakar, Jerry Gana, Aisha Yesufu, Pat Utomi, Rauf Aregbesola, Olagunsoye Oyinlola, Aminu Tambuwal, Rabiu Kwankwaso, Yunusa Tanko, Abdulfatah Ahmed, Rotimi Amaechi, and Babangida Aliyu. Former President Olusegun Obasanjo, who was expected to chair the event, did not attend.
The opposition leaders demand INEC's chairman step down over alleged bias, yet they gathered under a sitting governor whose re-election they previously challenged over similar concerns. Their call for electoral neutrality rings hollow when they accept hosting from a figure tied to contested outcomes. Unity among them hinges on shared rivalry, not shared principles. If the basis is merely defeating Tinubu, not fixing flawed systems, the cycle will repeat.
💡 NaijaBuzz is an AI-assisted news aggregator. This content is curated from third-party sources — NaijaBuzz is not the original publisher and is not responsible for the accuracy of source reporting. The NaijaBuzz Take is AI-assisted editorial opinion only, not established fact. All persons mentioned are presumed innocent until proven guilty by a court of competent jurisdiction. NaijaBuzz does not endorse the views expressed in source articles.
