Major opposition parties have agreed to back a single presidential candidate in the 2027 general election following a national summit held in Ibadan, Oyo State. The decision was announced in a communiqué issued at the end of the meeting, which brought together figures including Atiku Abubakar, Peter Obi, Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, Rotimi Amaechi and Rauf Aregbesola. The alliance declared it would "work towards fielding one presidential candidate" to "rescue our nation and her long-suffering masses."
The communiqué called for the resignation of INEC Chairman Prof. Joash Ojo Amupitan, accusing him of bias in favour of the ruling APC. It stated his continued tenure was "vexatious and capable of triggering widespread crisis." The parties also urged INEC to extend the deadline for party primaries to July 31, 2026, calling current guidelines "obstacles deliberately engineered" against opposition groups.
They demanded immediate review of the Electoral Act, 2026, to protect election integrity, and called for the release of politicians detained on bailable offences. The theme of the summit was "Safeguarding Nigeria's Democracy: A National Dialogue." The document was read by PDP factional National Chairman Taminu Turaki.
Senator David Mark, National Chairman of the ADC, described the summit as an urgent response to national distress. He claimed 15 Nigerians are killed daily and about 19 abducted, accusing the APC-led government of indifference. Governor Seyi Makinde, the host, warned of growing threats to democracy due to the weakening of opposition parties.
The same opposition leaders demanding INEC's impartiality are backing a pre-negotiated single candidate, raising questions about the very choice they claim to defend. If democracy hinges on genuine options, their unity deal risks mirroring the one-party dominance they condemn. Nigerians who want real alternatives may find little difference between a forced consensus and imposed rule. The call for inclusivity rings hollow when the opposition's own process begins with elimination.
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