Opposition parties issue Ibadan Declaration as Governor Seyi Makinde hosts summit, vows to resist one-party state

Politics

IBADAN, Nigeria (NPA) — The Opposition Summit held in Ibadan, Oyo State, on Saturday, April 25, 2026, ended with the adoption of the Ibadan Declaration, a communiqué issued after extensive deliberations by leaders of Nigeria’s opposition political parties.

Signed by the chairmen of participating parties, the communiqué outlined resolutions aimed at countering what they described as the “stranglehold of the oppressive and anti-democratic All Progressives Congress (APC)” and emphasized the need for urgent collective action to rescue Nigeria and its over 200 million citizens.

Delivering the welcome address at the Banquet Hall of the Oyo State Government House, Governor Seyi Makinde underscored the dangers of weakening opposition in Nigeria’s democracy.

“Across Nigeria today, we are witnessing a level of political concentration that should concern all of us,” he said, warning that democracy is not destroyed overnight but weakened step by step until citizens begin to feel it no longer works for them.

He stressed that democracy is defined not by the success of one party but by the existence of real alternatives and the confidence that citizens’ choices matter. “Because democracy without opposition is not democracy, it is a slow drift toward a one-party state. And Nigeria must not make that drift,” Makinde declared.

The governor reminded participants of Ibadan’s historic role in shaping Nigeria’s political future, noting that the summit was not a gang-up against one man or about individual ambitions, but about the collective ambition of Nigerians to preserve democracy. “No matter how strong any party becomes, the presence of credible opposition is not a threat to democracy, it is what sustains democracy,” he added.

Key Resolutions of the Ibadan Declaration

1. Opposition parties will resist all attempts by the APC to impose a one-party state and will fight to preserve multi-party democracy.
2. Despite alleged manoeuvres by the ruling party to impose President Bola Tinubu as the sole candidate in 2027, opposition parties pledged to field candidates in the presidential and other elections.
3. Parties agreed to work toward presenting a single presidential candidate in 2027, supported by all opposition groups, to “rescue the nation and her long-suffering masses.”
4. The communiqué demanded the removal of INEC Chairman, Prof. Joash Ojo Amupitan, citing bias and loss of public confidence, warning that his continued stay could trigger widespread crisis.
5. The National Assembly was urged to review the Electoral Act 2026 to safeguard the sanctity and integrity of elections.
6. Leading politicians detained or harassed over bailable offences should be released immediately to exercise their fundamental rights.
7. The recent INEC guidelines were described as obstacles deliberately engineered against opposition parties. The summit demanded an extension of the deadline for primaries until the end of July 2026.
8. Nigerians were commended for their resilience and readiness to work with opposition parties to free the nation from “state capture.”
9. The summit expressed gratitude to Governor Seyi Makinde and the people of Oyo State for hosting the historic event.