Tinubu: Can he survive opposition gang-up?
In a strategic move to dislodge President Bola Tinubu and his ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) party from power in 2027, major opposition political parties on Saturday disclosed their resolve to field a single presidential candidate.
The parties are the Peoples Democratic Party, (PDP) the African Democratic Party, (ADC) and the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), amongst others.
The announcement to this effect was made at the national summit of the opposition political party leaders held in Ibadan, the capital of Oyo State with former President Olusegun Obasanjo in attendance.
Other prominent political leaders included former Sokoto State Governor Aminu Waziri Tambuwal and Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour, the Labour Party’s 2023 governorship candidate in Lagos State.
Newsmata.com.ng learnt that discussions at the forum, held at the Banquet Hall of the Oyo State Government House, and which brought together leaders of the major opposition parties across the country, will centre on building a unified opposition framework, strengthening inter-party cooperation, and mapping out a strategic political direction capable of challenging the status quo in upcoming electoral contests.
While Chief Obasanjo chaired the meeting, Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde hosted the event described by the conveners as a decisive move to confront Nigeria’s worsening socio-economic and security challenges.
Themed: “That We May Work Together for a United Opposition to Sustain Our Democracy,” the summit is perceived as a bold attempt to realign opposition forces and present a formidable front against the ruling establishment.
In a statement shared via the PDP’s official X (formerly Twitter) account, organisers said the meeting was a “strategic response” to the nation’s deepening crises, stressing the urgency of coordinated political action.
Both former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, ex-Kano State governor, confirmed their presence at the crucial meeting. Atiku announced that “I have just arrived in Ibadan, Oyo State, for the National Summit of all opposition parties”, while Kwankwaso, expressed optimism about the engagement, noting his readiness for “meaningful discussions with fellow national leaders.”