Ahead of the 2027 general elections, prominent opposition personalities in Nigeria have announced plans to combine and run a single presidential candidate to oppose President Bola Tinubu and the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
Key political figures, under the African Democratic Party (ADC) and People’s Democratic Party (PDP), presented what they called a “national rescue mission” to protect Nigeria’s democracy and provide voters with a genuine alternative during the resolution’s national conference in Ibadan.
“We shall work towards fielding one Presidential Candidate for the 2027 elections, which shall be agreed and supported by all participating opposition parties.
They also warned against what they described as attempts to weaken opposition politics, stating, “We shall resist all machinations by the APC to foist a one-party State on Nigeria and fight for the survival of multi-party democracy in our country”, the opposition communique read.
Former Senate President and National Chairman of the African Democratic Congress, David Mark, framed the coalition’s strategy as a response to worsening insecurity and economic hardship.
“This contest is between the ruling party APC and the Nigerian people; we are on the side of the people,” he said, adding that no single opposition party could challenge the current system alone.
“No single opposition political party can confront a system so entrenched. We must be united to salvage our nation. In 2025 alone, Nigeria recorded more than 12,000 conflict-related deaths. Also, at least 15 Nigerians are killed daily, while about 19 people are abducted.”
The summit’s host, Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde, said that Nigeria’s democracy was steadily deteriorating as a result of waning opposition institutions and growing political concentration.
“Across Nigeria today, we are witnessing a level of political concentration that should concern all of us. It is not a gang-up against one man; and it is not about individual ambitions to be president. It is about the collective ambition of the Nigerian people to have a democracy properly defined.
“Democracy without opposition is not democracy, it is a slow drift toward a one-party State. And Nigeria must not make that drift”, he noted.
Pat Utomi, a political economist, also emphasized the economic facts behind the opposition’s drive, characterizing the disparity between residents’ income and growing costs as unsustainable.
“If that doesn’t reveal something fundamentally broken in our system, then nothing will. Leadership without character cannot build a nation. The crisis we face today is not only economic—it is moral. With the right leadership… we can rebuild this nation and create a future that works for all,” Utomi said.
Will opposition unseat President Tinubu in the 2027 elections?
The optics ahead of the 2027 general elections seem to tilt towards the favour of the opposition as measured through popular and public acceptance. Before today, the leaders of both opposition parties met in Abuja and the outcome of the meeting was not disclosed.
ENigeria Newspaper, however, note that today’s meeting seemed like a consolidation of the past meetings. It, however, remains unseen who the presidential candidate of the joint opposition would be but individuals like Peter Obi, Atiku Abubakar and Rotimi Amaechi are all frontliners.
