Ibadan Summit: Opposition Parties Move to Field Single Presidential Candidate for 2027 General Elections, Reject One-Party State

… As Leaders reject alleged bid to impose Bola Tinubu, call for INEC chairman’s removal

Opposition political parties in Nigeria have announced plans to present a single, consensus presidential candidate for the 2027 general elections, as part of a broader strategy to challenge the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).

The decision was reached at the Opposition Political Parties National Summit held in Ibadan on Saturday, where party leaders also resolved to resist what they described as attempts by the APC to impose a one-party system in the country.

The resolutions were contained in a communiqué issued at the end of the summit, signed by chairmen of participating opposition parties and read by Taminu Turaki of a faction of the People’s Democratic Party.

In the communiqué, the opposition parties pledged to defend multi-party democracy and oppose any effort to undermine it and also rejected alleged moves by the APC to impose President Bola Tinubu as the sole presidential candidate in the 2027 elections.

Despite these concerns, the parties affirmed their intention to participate fully in the elections, including fielding candidates across all levels, while working towards adopting a unified presidential flagbearer.

The summit also called for the removal of the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Joash Ojo Amupitan, accusing him of bias in favour of the ruling party and warned that his continued stay in office could erode public confidence and potentially trigger a national crisis.

Furthermore, the opposition urged the National Assembly to urgently review the Electoral Act 2026, citing provisions they believe threaten the credibility and constitutional integrity of the electoral process.

They also demanded the immediate release of politicians allegedly detained or harassed over bailable offences, stressing the importance of safeguarding fundamental rights and promoting inclusive political participation.

On electoral preparations, the parties criticised recent INEC guidelines, describing them as restrictive and disadvantageous to opposition groups, and called for an extension of the deadline for party primaries until the end of July 2026.

The opposition leaders commended Nigerians for their resilience and support, urging continued collaboration to “rescue the nation from state capture.”

Earlier in his welcome address the host Governor Engineer Seyi Makinde, raised concerns over what he described as increasing political concentration in Nigeria, warning that the trend could undermine democratic values if not urgently addressed.
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‎Governor Makinde emphasized that democracy thrives on the existence of viable alternatives, noting that the dominance of one party, without credible opposition, risks reducing the system to a mere formality rather than a functional democratic structure.

The Party represented at the summit are; African Democratic Congress, People’s Democratic party, Labour Party, Accord Party, Zenith Labour Party, New Nigeria People’s Party and others.

The dignitaries at the summit are; Atiku Abubakar, Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, Peter Obi, Aminu waziri Tambuwal, Rauf Aregbesola, Rotimi Amaechi, Sen. David Mark, and others.