‎Opposition parties rally in Ibadan, vow to stop APC’s one-party ambition in 2027

‎April 25, 2026: Ibadan, Nigeria — Opposition political parties in Nigeria on Saturday adopted the Ibadan Declaration, a joint communiqué committing to resist what they described as attempts by the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) to impose a one-party state and pledged to field candidates in the 2027 general election.
‎
‎The declaration was issued at the end of the National Summit of Opposition Political Parties held in Ibadan, Oyo State, under the theme “Safeguarding Nigeria’s Democracy: A National Dialogue.”
‎
‎In the communiqué signed by chairmen of participating opposition parties, the parties resolved to work towards presenting a single presidential candidate for the 2027 election, saying a united opposition was necessary to “rescue the nation.”
‎
‎The summit accused the APC of undermining multi-party democracy and attempting to impose President Bola Tinubu as the sole presidential candidate in 2027, vowing to challenge what it called efforts to weaken opposition politics.
‎
‎Among key resolutions, the opposition called for the immediate review of the Electoral Act 2026, demanding the removal of provisions they said threaten the integrity of elections and conflict with constitutional safeguards.
‎
‎The parties also demanded an extension of the deadline for party primaries until the end of July 2026, describing recent guidelines issued by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) as obstacles deliberately designed to constrain opposition parties.
‎
‎A major point of contention at the summit was the role of INEC Chairman, Prof. Joash Ojo Amupitan, whom the opposition accused of partisanship in favour of the ruling APC.
‎
‎The summit declared it had lost confidence in his ability to oversee “free, fair, transparent and credible elections” and called for him not to conduct the 2027 general election.
‎
‎The communiqué also demanded the release of opposition politicians allegedly detained or harassed over bailable offences, saying they should be allowed to exercise their political rights.
‎
‎Host Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State, in his welcome address, warned that Nigeria’s democracy was facing increasing threats through political concentration and weakening opposition institutions.
‎
‎“Democracy without opposition is not democracy; it is a slow drift toward a one-party state,” Makinde said, insisting the summit was not targeted at any individual but aimed at preserving democratic competition and accountability.
‎
‎He said Ibadan’s hosting of the summit was symbolic, recalling the city’s historic role in shaping Nigeria’s constitutional evolution.
‎
‎“This is not a gang-up against one man,” Makinde said. “It is about the collective ambition of Nigerians to have a democracy properly defined.”
‎
‎Also speaking, African Democratic Congress (ADC) National Chairman and former Senate President David Mark described the summit as a “national rescue mission,” warning that the country was facing deepening insecurity, economic hardship and democratic decline.
‎
‎Mark accused the APC-led government of pursuing a one-party state and using state institutions to suppress opposition voices.
‎
‎“The move toward a one-party state is real,” he said. “It has never happened before in this country, and it will not happen in our generation.”
‎
‎He argued that no single opposition party could confront the ruling party alone and called for unity, trust and sacrifice among opposition leaders ahead of 2027.
‎
‎Mark also questioned the neutrality of INEC and warned that public confidence in the electoral body was eroding.
‎
‎“When the referee wears the jersey of one of the teams, the legitimacy of the process is undermined,” he said.
‎
‎The summit commended Nigerians for what participants described as resilience amid economic and political challenges, while also thanking the Oyo State government for hosting what they called an “epochal event.”
‎
‎Saturday’s gathering is being seen as one of the clearest signals yet of efforts by opposition parties to forge a broad coalition ahead of the next general election.
‎
‎Whether the parties can sustain the unity proposed in Ibadan and agree on a common presidential ticket remains to be seen.