Nigeria’s battered opposition finally showed signs of life on Saturday as key opposition figures from across party lines converged in Ibadan, Oyo State for what they branded a national rescue mission though whether it amounts to anything more than another round of elite political theatre remains to be seen.
The National Summit of Opposition Political Leaders, themed “Safeguarding Nigeria’s Democracy: A National Dialogue,” ended with the adoption of a joint communiqué called the Ibadan Declaration. At its core: a pledge to back a single presidential candidate against President Bola Tinubu of the APC in 2027.
Leaders at the event argued the consensus candidacy plan was necessary to prevent vote fragmentation and give the opposition a fighting chance at the polls. What they did not say at least not loudly is who that candidate would be, or which of the assembled egos in the room would be asked to stand down.
Host governor Seyi Makinde warned of the erosion of democratic competition, arguing that the concentration of political power in one party threatens pluralism. “Democracy without opposition is not democracy, it is a slow drift toward a one-party state,” he declared.
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PDP factional chairman Taminu Turaki described the gathering as both strategic and necessary, warning that Nigeria is experiencing what he called “progressive regression,” pointing to worsening insecurity, economic decline, and falling public confidence in democratic institutions.
Former Senate President David Mark framed the moment as a “national rescue mission,” insisting no single opposition party could challenge the current political structure alone. “We cannot confront the future as fragmented entities,” he said.
In a significant move, the opposition leaders passed a vote of no confidence in INEC Chairman Joash Amupitan, alleging bias and demanding his removal before the 2027 elections. They also called on the National Assembly to review contentious sections of the Electoral Act 2026 and demanded an extension of party primary deadlines to the end of July 2026.
Participants further demanded the release of political actors allegedly held on bailable offences, stressing the need to uphold fundamental rights and democratic inclusivity.
The Ibadan meeting drew prominent figures from the PDP and the ADC, among them former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, Labour Party’s 2023 presidential candidate Peter Obi, former Kano governor Rabiu Kwankwaso, former Osun governor Rauf Aregbesola, former Rivers governor Rotimi Amaechi, political economist Pat Utomi, and elder statesman Jerry Gana.
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