'Ibadan Declaration': Opposition to field one candidate to face APC

Historic Ibadan summit unites rival political heavyweights as coalition vows to ‘rescue Nigeria’ from APC rule

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By Taiwo Oluwadare and Oluseye Ojo, Ibadan

In what is being described as a major political turning point, leaders of Nigeria’s opposition parties have officially resolved to set aside their differences and field a single, consensus presidential candidate to challenge President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in the 2027 general elections.

The landmark resolution, dubbed the ‘Ibadan Declaration’, was reached at a high-stakes national summit held Saturday, 25 April 2026, at the Banquet Hall of the Government House in Ibadan, Oyo State. The event, held under the theme “That We May Work Together for a United Opposition to Sustain Our Democracy,” brought together an unprecedented coalition of parties, including the PDP, LP, NNPP, ADC, PRP, APP, Accord, APM, AA, DLA, YP, ADP, and ZLP.

From left, Former Governor, Niger State, Alhaji Aliyu Babagida; Mr Peter Obi; Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde; Alhaji Rabiu Musa Kwankwanso; Former Vice President, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar and ADC National Chairman, Senator David Mark, during the National Summit of Opposition Political Party Leaders, held at Banquet Hall, Government House, Ibadan (Photo credit: Oyo Gov's Media Unit) — From left, Former Governor, Niger State, Alhaji Aliyu Babagida; Mr Peter Obi; Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde; Alhaji Rabiu Musa Kwankwanso; Former Vice President, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar and ADC National Chairman, Senator David Mark, during the National Summit of Opposition Political Party Leaders, held at Banquet Hall, Government House, Ibadan (Photo credit: Oyo Gov’s Media Unit)

From left, Mr Peter Obi; Co-Chairman Organizing Committee, Dr Kashim Ibrahim Imam; Co-Chairman Organizing Committee, Prof Jerry Gana; National Secretary ADC, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola; National Chairman ADC, Senator David Mark; National Chairman PDP; Barr Kabiru Turaki; Former Vice President, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar and Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, during the National Summit of Opposition Political Party Leaders, held at Banquet Hall, Government House, Ibadan (Photo credit: Oyo Gov's Media Unit) — From left, Mr Peter Obi; Co-Chairman Organizing Committee, Dr Kashim Ibrahim Imam; Co-Chairman Organizing Committee, Prof Jerry Gana; National Secretary ADC, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola; National Chairman ADC, Senator David Mark; National Chairman PDP; Barr Kabiru Turaki; Former Vice President, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar and Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, during the National Summit of Opposition Political Party Leaders, held at Banquet Hall, Government House, Ibadan (Photo credit: Oyo Gov’s Media Unit)

A Unified Front for a “National Rescue Mission”

The summit featured a gathering of political heavyweights, including former Vice President Atiku Abubakar; former Speaker of the House of Representatives, Aminu Waziri Tambuwal; former Rivers State Governor, Rotimi Amaechi; former Osun State Governor, Rauf Aregbesola; and former Senate President, Senator David Mark.

Reading the communiqué on behalf of the participating chairmen, the National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Taminu Turaki (SAN), declared that the move was an existential necessity.

“We shall work towards fielding one presidential candidate for the 2027 elections, which shall be agreed and supported by all participating opposition parties to rescue our nation and her long-suffering masses,” the communiqué stated.

Senator David Mark, currently the ADC National Chairman, was particularly pointed in his address, describing the coalition as a “national rescue mission”. He cited alarming statistics, noting that Nigeria recorded more than 12,000 conflict-related deaths in 2025 alone—a figure exceeding that of several nations actively at war.

“At least 15 Nigerians are killed daily, while about 19 people are abducted,” Mark said. “Entire communities are uprooted… when one government fails, the constitution grants the people the power to vote that government out.”

Vote of No Confidence in INEC

A central pillar of the ‘Ibadan Declaration’ was a scathing attack on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). The summit passed a vote of no confidence in the INEC Chairman, Professor Joash Ojo Amupitan, accusing him of blatant partisanship toward the APC.

The declaration warned that Amupitan’s continued stay in office is “vexatious” and could trigger a national crisis, demanding his replacement by a neutral figure. “When the referee clearly and proudly wears the jersey of one of the teams, the legitimacy of the entire process is undermined,” Senator Mark added.

Key Demands of the Ibadan Declaration

The opposition bloc outlined a five-point demand to ensure a credible democratic process:

Unified Ticket: To field a single consensus candidate for the 2027 presidency.
Electoral Reform: Stripping the Electoral Act 2026 of clauses that allegedly threaten election sanctity.
INEC Leadership: The immediate removal of Prof. Amupitan as INEC Chairman.
Political Freedom: The immediate release of leading politicians currently detained on bailable offences.
Timeline Extension: Extending the INEC deadline for party primaries to the end of July 2026 to counter “engineered obstacles” in current guidelines.

Rejecting a One-Party State

The host, Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State, warned against the “political concentration” currently witnessed in the country. He rejected claims that the summit was a “gang-up against one man,” insisting instead that it was about providing real alternatives.

“Democracy is not defined by the success of one party; it is defined by the existence of real alternatives,” Makinde said.

As deliberations concluded, the coalition vowed to resist any “state capture” or machinations intended to stifle competition, framing the Ibadan summit as an epochal event in the journey toward the 2027 polls.