Major opposition political parties in Nigeria and their leaders, have vowed to resist attempt by President Bola Tinubu and the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, to impose a one-party state on the country.  They also demanded the removal of the chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC and pledged to work together towards fielding one candidate to challenge the president in the 2027 general election.

The opposition leaders took the stands Saturday during a national summit that had in attendance several presidential aspirants from the different political parties as well as national leaders of the parties.

Among those that attended the summit are former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, former Rivers State governor, Rotimi Amaechi, former Anambra State governor Peter Obi, national chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP Kabiru Tanimu Turaki, SAN, national chairman of African Democratic Congress, ADC, senator David Mark, former governor of Osun state, Rauf Aregbesola and former governor of Kano State, Rabiu Kwankwaso, among many others.

They were hosted by the Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, a chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP.

In a communiqué they jointly signed at the end of the summit which took place in Ibadan, the Oyo state capital, the opposition leaders noted what they described as the “collective threats that we face and the existential challenges facing our country under the stranglehold of the oppressive and anti-democratic All Progressives Congress (APC),” adding that, given the need for urgent, collective action to rescue the nation and the destiny of over 200 million compatriots,” hereby resolve as follows:

1. 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.

2. 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.

3. 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.

4. That the INEC Chairman, Prof. Joash Ojo Amupitan, having shown bias and partisanship in favour of the ruling APC, should not conduct the 2027 general elections as Nigerians across board have lost confidence in him and his capacity to guarantee the required neutrality to deliver free, fair, transparent and credible elections. His continuous stay in office is vexatious and capable of triggering wide spread crisis in our nation.

5. That the National Assembly should immediately review the Electoral Act, 2026 to remove all sections that threaten the sanctity and integrity of the elections and run counter to constitutional provisions.

6. That all leading politicians that are being detained or harassed on bailable offencbe released with immediate effect and allowed to exercise their fundamental rights of participation and inclusivity as Nigerians.

7. That we consider the recent guidelines released by the INEC as obstacles, deliberately engineered to impose conditions and deadlines on the opposition parties. We therefore demand that INEC extends the deadline for primaries till the end of July, 2026.

8. The Summit commends Nigerians for their resilience and readiness to work with Opposition Parties to free our nation from State capture.

9. The National summit of Opposition Political Parties thank the Oyo State Governor Engr. Seyi Makinde and the people of Oyo State for hosting the epochal event.

SIGNED:

Chairmen of Participating Opposition Parties.

Several leading political figures have arrived Ibadan, Oyo state ahead of a national summit of opposition leaders summit in the ancient city.

Among notable figures already in Ibadan are former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and former governor of Rivers State, Rotimi Amaechi.

Peter Obi , a former governor of Anambra State and his Kano State counterpart, Rabiu Kwankwaso, national chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Kabiru Tanimu Turaki SAN, national chairman of African Democratic Congress, ADC, David Mark, alongside other opposition heavy weights, are expected in the summit.

They are being hosted by the Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, a chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP.

Atiku, one of the opposition leaders jostling for the presidential ticket of the African Democratic Congress, ADC, for the 2027 election, posted the video of his arrival on his Facebook page.

In the video, a large crowd of supporters were seen welcoming the former vice president to Oyo State.

By Bonaventure Phillips Melah

Bashir Yuguda, a former Minister of National Planning and Minister of State for Finance, has said that the administration of former President Goodluck Jonathan left a legacy of good governance, democratic leadership, economic reforms, and statesmanship that cannot be undermined by false narratives.

Yuguda who also served Nigeria as Ambassador to the United Arab Emirates and Qatar, was reacting to a remark credited to former vice president Atiku Abubakar who was quoted to have said that Jonathan’s administration was affected by inexperience.

Yuguda said in a statement on Friday that the former President governed with honour, experience, vision, and restraint, particularly during the 2015 transfer of power.

Atiku had said during an interview on ARISE News Channel, that many young leaders in Nigeria have found it difficult to succeed in office because they lack adequate experience and are not fully prepared for the demands of governance.

The former Vice-President pointed to Nigeria’s leadership transition after the tenure of the late Umaru Musa Yar’Adua, stating that although Yar’Adua had a promising start in office, the administration that followed under Goodluck Jonathan later struggled amid growing national challenges.

“For instance, like this case of Umaru Yar’Adua, who started very well and was succeeded by Goodluck Jonathan. I know Jonathan very well — a decent young man — but he was inexperienced, and that, I believe, also contributed to his failure to manage the affairs of the country, particularly when he was faced with challenges,” he said.

Reacting to the former Vice-President’s remarks, Yuguda described Atiku’s comments as inaccurate and inconsistent with the facts.

He stressed that before Jonathan took the presidential oath, he had already served in key executive positions as Deputy Governor, Governor, Vice-President, and later Acting President during the illness of the late Yar’Adua, adding that these were not ceremonial roles but critical leadership experiences that prepared him for governance at the highest level.

The former minister stated, “During that period, Nigeria’s economic profile expanded significantly. The country attained the status of Africa’s largest economy, attracted strong investor confidence, and maintained relative stability in key indicators. Poverty levels declined to some of the lowest recorded since the return to democratic rule in 1999. These are not retrospective claims; they are outcomes documented by credible institutions.

“In agriculture, the administration moved the conversation from subsistence to sustainability. Reforms in the sector improved food availability and earned Nigeria global recognition for progress towards hunger reduction targets.

“The Jonathan administration revived train routes across Nigeria to provide an inexpensive alternative to road and air travel. On behalf of the President, I personally commissioned the rehabilitation and restoration of the Zaria–Gusau–Kaura Namoda rail line, which had deteriorated over time following 26 years of neglect.

“His vision for transformational development also found expression in the attention he gave to the education sector. He established no fewer than 12 new federal universities, with nine of them in the North, and about 165 Almajiri schools to enhance access to education across the country. Those of us in government at the time understood that these gains were the result of focused policy execution, not happenstance.”

Yuguda said what stood out most about former President Jonathan to many of those who served with him was his temperament.

The former Minister of State for Finance continued:
“He possessed a calmness that steadied governance, even in moments of pressure. I recall numerous occasions when he would discourage any attempt by his appointees to respond sharply to critics, including former leaders. His position was clear: leadership must not descend into unnecessary confrontation.

“That disposition was consistent with the loyalty he demonstrated to his own principal, President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua of blessed memory. Even in trying times, he upheld the dignity of that office and the sanctity of that relationship. Even as a former President, he has continued to visit his successors, including President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, to consult them on important national and sub-regional issues. It is a standard worth reflecting on, especially when contrasted with the well-known strains that existed between Vice-President Atiku Abubakar and President Olusegun Obasanjo during their time in office.

“No leader is beyond criticism, and President Jonathan himself would be the first to acknowledge that he is human and capable of error. But to reduce his presidency to a question of inexperience is to overlook both the depth of his preparation and the substance of his record.

“His most enduring legacy, in my view, lies in his respect for democratic values. Despite the security challenges at the time of the 2015 elections, Jonathan did not use them as an excuse to prolong his stay in office. He not only ensured that elections were conducted even in areas with the most difficult security challenges, he also pioneered the deployment of technology to enhance the transparency and credibility of the electoral process.”

Yuguda recalled that Jonathan honourably conceded power without hesitation, placing national stability above personal ambition — a decision he said profoundly shaped Nigeria’s democratic culture.

The statement added, “President Jonathan has remained consistent even out of office, measured in speech, respectful of institutions, and disinclined towards inflammatory commentary. That is why he has continued to be in high demand in peace negotiations and election observation missions within and outside Africa. In an era where political discourse is often heated, that restraint is not weakness; it is statesmanship.

“Ultimately, Nigerians will judge based on evidence, not assertions. They can differentiate between leadership that left tangible footprints and narratives that seek, after the fact, to redefine it. President Jonathan’s contributions are visible, documented, and enduring.

“They do not require embellishment, and they certainly cannot be diminished by revisionist claims, especially by one whose claim to experience in the last two decades has remained an unrealised ambition to be elected President of our great country.”

“We must reflect on what might have become of our nation’s democracy if those who now criticise Jonathan had found themselves in his position when his former boss, President Yar’Adua of blessed memory, fell ill.

“Would they have acted with the same wisdom, decorum, and restraint that Jonathan demonstrated in the interest of preserving the nation’s fragile democracy, or would personal ambition have driven them to destabilise it?” he asked.