By Ola Kiya, Reporting
IBADAN – Nigeria’s political landscape underwent a seismic shift on Saturday as opposition heavyweights closed ranks in Ibadan, unveiling a dramatic plan to field a single presidential candidate in the 2027 elections – a move squarely aimed at dismantling the All Progressives Congress’s stranglehold on power.
What emerged from the high-powered summit, hosted by Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde, was far more than routine political rhetoric.
It was a declaration of war on the ruling establishment.
In attendance were political titans including former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, Peter Obi, New Nigeria Peoples Party leader Rabiu Kwankwaso, and former Rivers State Governor Rotimi Amaechi.
Their presence signalled the most coordinated opposition push yet to reclaim national power.
Dubbed the “Ibadan Declaration”, the resolution captures a growing sense of urgency among opposition leaders, who warn that Nigeria risks drifting towards a one-party state under APC dominance.
Their solution: collapse internal rivalries, rally behind a consensus flagbearer, and confront the ruling party with a united electoral front.
But the coalition’s ambition extends far beyond candidate selection.
In a direct challenge to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), the opposition accused the electoral body of compromised neutrality and demanded sweeping reforms – from a review of contentious provisions in the Electoral Act to leadership changes within the commission itself.
At its core, Saturday’s summit revealed a strategic recalibration: a frank admission that fragmented opposition politics can no longer compete against a deeply entrenched ruling structure.
Yet the road ahead remains fraught with peril. The same room that produced lofty declarations of unity also houses multiple presidential ambitions, each one capable of shattering the fragile alliance before it has truly begun.
Even so, the message from Ibadan was unmistakable. The opposition is no longer content with merely contesting power – it is preparing to consolidate it. And if this unlikely coalition holds, 2027 may not be just another election cycle, but a defining referendum on the very direction of Nigeria’s democracy.
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