*Demand Removal Of INEC Chairman Amupitan
*Obi, Atiku, Mark, Kwankwaso, Aregbesola, Tambuwal, Amaechi, Aliyu, Other Heavyweights Keep Ibadan Agog
*Makinde Warns Against Recurrence Of ‘Operation Wetie’
In a major tweak to their previous election planning which centered on individual runs, opposition political parties in the country have forged a pact to field a single presidential candidate to challenge –and possibly defeat- President Bola Tinubu in next year’s elections.
From all indications, the forthcoming presidential poll promises to be one that will be hotly contested as the opposition appear to have assessed and fixed the areas of past dissonance which had in the nation’s election history fractured their attempts to unite.
They vowed to resist efforts allegedly being orchestrated by the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) to impose Tinubu as sole candidate for the election.
As an adjunct, the parties cast a vote of no confidence on Chairman, Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Professor Joash Amupitan, and demanded that he be not allowed to conduct the general elections, for the sake of fairness and credibility of the polls.
The political parties adopted these resolutions today (Saturday) at the National Summit of the Opposition Political Party Leaders held in Ibadan, the Oyo state capital.
The summit was entitled ‘Safeguarding Nigeria’s Democracy: A National Dialogue’, and brought together key opposition figures all over the country across party lines.
It culminated in the adoption of a joint communiqué known as the Ibadan Declaration.
Perhaps, the confidence of the opposition stems from the fact that their collective performance in the 2023 presidential election polled in a total of 14, 492,740, dwarfing Tinubu’s 8,794,726 almost twice, apparently hoping for more of same even as they will confront the weighty power of incumbency and huge financial war chest of the APC-led Federal Government.
People&Politics recalls that poll results released then by INEC showed that Tinubu garnered 8,794,726; Atiku Abubakar (PDP), 6,984,520; Peter Obi (LP), 6,101,533; and Rabiu Kwankwaso (NNPP), 1,496,687.
There was a glittering array of opposition leaders at today’s event, which was hosted by Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State.
They included former Vice President, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar; Labour Party (LP) presidential candidate in the 2023 polls, Mr Peter Obi; former Senate President, David Mark; former Governor of Osun State, Ogbeni (Engr.) Rauf Aregbesola; former Governor of Sokoto State, Aminu Tambuwal; former Governor of Kano State, Engr. Rabiu Musa Kwankwanso; former Governor of Kwara State, Abdulfatai Ahmed; former Governor of Rivers State, Rotimi Amaechi; and former Governor of Niger State, Babangida Aliyu.
Not left out are former Minister of Information, Professor Jerry Gana; prominent activist and #BringBackOurGirls frontliner Aisha Yesufu; Professor Pat Utomi; former Minister of Sports, Solomon Dalung, and many others.
They equally issued a stern warning that Nigeria’s democracy is under increasing strain and requires urgent collective action to safeguard it.
According to the leaders, the decision to rally behind a single candidate was driven by the need to avoid fragmentation of votes and strengthen the opposition’s chances at the polls.
Speaking, Gov. Makinde, in his welcome address, warned of a steady erosion of democratic competition, noting that the concentration of political power under one party threatens pluralism.
Makinde reminded the ruling party of the ‘wetie’ era in Ibadan, which he said must not be allowed to repeat itself.
People&Politics recalls that the era was marked by violent political crisis in the defunct Western Region between 1962 and 1965, characterized by the targeted burning of politicians’ houses and vehicles, particularly in Ibadan and Lagos.
The violence, stemming from a rift between regional leaders, Chief Obafemi Awolowo and Chief S.L. Akintola, led to a “Wild, Wild West” scenario, leading to a brutal collapse of democratic governance.
Addressing today’s meeting, factional National Chairman of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Taminu Turaki, described the move by opposition leaders as both strategic and necessary, warning that disunity has historically weakened opposition efforts.
“A single stick can be broken easily, but a bundle of sticks is far more difficult to break,” he said, urging political actors to prioritise national interest over individual ambition.
Also speaking, former Senate President Mark described the moment as a “national rescue mission,” stressing that no single opposition party could confront the current political structure alone.
“We cannot confront the future as fragmented entities. This is the time to rewrite the story of coalition building in Nigeria,” Mark said.
In a communique issued at the end of the meeting, the leaders vowed to resist all machinations by the APC to foist a one-party State on Nigeria.
They also vowed to resist all attempts to make Tinubu the sole presidential candidate in 2027.
The communique read,in part: “That 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.
“That despite the onslaughts and manoeuvrings of the ruling party, the APC, to impose President Bola Tinubu as the sole Presidential candidate in 2027; we shall field candidates and contest the 2027 Presidential and other elections.
“That 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.”
*PHOTO CAPTION: L-R: Atiku, Obi, Amaechi.
