Deep divisions have emerged within Nigeria’s opposition ranks following an Ibadan summit aimed at forging a united front against President Bola Tinubu ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Factions of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), African Democratic Congress (ADC), Accord Party, and Labour Party have all distanced themselves from the high-profile meeting, insisting it does not reflect their official positions and reaffirming plans to field separate presidential candidates.
The summit, held in Ibadan, Oyo State, brought together prominent opposition figures, including former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, former Senate President David Mark, Peter Obi, and Rabiu Kwankwaso, among others. Participants had announced plans to present a single presidential candidate to challenge the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in 2027.
However, the move has been met with swift rejection across party lines.
The PDP National Working Committee faction, backed by the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, dismissed the summit as illegitimate, claiming those who convened it were “impostors” who misled opposition leaders.
Speaking on behalf of the faction, PDP National Publicity Secretary Jungudo Mohammed said the party had not entered into any coalition talks and would independently contest the next presidential election.
“Our party cannot be part of that arrangement. Those who attended did not represent the PDP. We will field our own candidate,” he said
Similarly, divisions within the ADC became more pronounced as rival factions rejected both the summit and its resolutions. A camp aligned with the party’s 2023 presidential candidate, Dumebi Kachikwu, insisted it had no involvement in the meeting and opposed the idea of a unified opposition ticket.
Another ADC faction maintained that the party would pursue its own electoral path, stressing that internal party stability should take precedence over coalition-building.
The Labour Party also distanced itself from the gathering. Its Interim National Chairman, Nenadi Usman, said the party’s focus remains on internal restructuring ahead of its convention, with no commitment to any coalition at this stage.
In the same vein, the Accord Party, led by Chris Imumolen, condemned what it described as the unauthorised use of its name and symbol at the summit. The party issued a 48-hour ultimatum to organisers to explain the development, warning that it may pursue legal action.
“This is not an oversight; it is a misrepresentation,” the party said in a statement, insisting it would not be drawn into alliances it neither negotiated nor approved.
The Ibadan meeting was convened by a coalition of opposition figures, including Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde, who hosted the event. In his address, Makinde warned against attempts to suppress democratic expression, referencing the historic “Operation Wetie” crisis of 1965 as a cautionary tale.
In a communique issued at the end of the summit, participants accused the APC-led Federal Government of attempting to turn Nigeria into a one-party state and pledged to resist such efforts.
But the ruling APC dismissed the gathering as inconsequential and criticised Makinde’s remarks as inflammatory. In a statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Felix Morka, the party described the governor’s comments as reckless and potentially destabilising.
The APC also questioned the credibility of the opposition, citing internal crises and leadership disputes across major parties.
“The opposition has failed to manage its own affairs and cannot be trusted with national governance,” the statement said.
Despite attempts by some opposition leaders to project unity, the widespread disavowals underscore persistent fragmentation within the bloc, casting doubt on the feasibility of a joint presidential bid in 2027.