2027: Opposition Pushes For Consensus Presidential Candidate, Resists One-Party State, Demands Review Of INEC Timetable

•Demands Electoral Act Review, Release of Detained Politicians, Extension of Primary Deadline

By Monday Peters, Abuja

Following the political tension in the country, the opposition political parties in Nigeria rose from a national summit in Ibadan on Saturday with a far-reaching 9-point communiqué, declaring their resolve to resist alleged plots by the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, to impose a one-party state and to present a united presidential candidate for the 2027 general elections.

The summit, tagged the _Ibadan Declaration_, was attended by chairmen and leaders of major opposition parties across the country. In the communiqué issued at the end of the deliberations, the parties said Nigeria faces “collective threats and existential challenges” under what they described as the “stranglehold of the oppressive and anti-democratic APC.”

The opposition leaders resolved to “resist all machinations by the APC to foist a one-party State on Nigeria” and pledged to “fight for the survival of multi-party democracy in our country.”

Despite what they termed “onslaughts and manoeuvrings” by the APC to impose President Bola Tinubu as the sole presidential candidate in 2027, the parties vowed to “field candidates and contest the 2027 Presidential and other elections.”

The summit agreed to work towards fielding a single presidential candidate for the 2027 elections, stating that the candidate “shall be agreed and supported by all participating opposition parties to rescue our nation and her long-suffering masses.”

The parties declared that the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, Prof. Joash Ojo Amupitan, should not conduct the 2027 general elections. The communiqué accused Prof. Amupitan of “bias and partisanship in favour of the ruling APC,” adding that “Nigerians across the board have lost confidence in him and his capacity to guarantee the required neutrality to deliver free, fair, transparent and credible elections.” The summit warned that his “continuous stay in office is vexatious and capable of triggering widespread crisis in our nation.”

The National Assembly was urged to “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.”

The opposition parties demanded that “all leading politicians that 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.”

Describing recent INEC guidelines as “obstacles deliberately engineered to impose conditions and deadlines on the opposition parties,” the summit demanded that INEC “extends the deadline for primaries till the end of July, 2026.”

The summit commended Nigerians “for their resilience and readiness to work with Opposition Parties to free our nation from State capture.”

It also expressed appreciation to Oyo State Governor, Engr. Seyi Makinde, and the people of Oyo State “for hosting the epochal event.”