By DAVID ADEOYE

Opposition political parties in Nigeria have agreed to field one candidate for the 2027 presidential election.

The agreement was announced in a communique issued at the end of a national summit, held at the Banquet Hall of the Oyo State Government House, Ibadan, on Saturday.

Reading the communique, Mr Taminu Turaki, the factional National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), explained that all the leaders across the opposition parties would work to achieve the goal.

According to him, the agreement is to rescue the nation and its long-suffering masses.

The leaders equally said they would resist all machinations by the All Progressives Congress (APC) to foist a one-party state on Nigeria and fight for the survival of multi-party democracy.

They called on the National Assembly to immediately review the Electoral Act 2026 by removing all sections that threaten the sanctity and integrity of elections and run counter to constitutional provisions.

According to the communique, the leaders expressed their reservations about having the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Chairman, Prof. Joash Amupitan, conduct the 2027 general elections.

They accused the INEC boss of showing bias and partisanship, doubting his capacity to guarantee the required neutrality to deliver free, fair, transparent, and credible elections.

The opposition leaders also considered INEC’s recently released guidelines as obstacles, claiming they were deliberately engineered to impose conditions and deadlines on the opposition parties.

“We, therefore, demand that INEC extend the deadline for primaries till the end of July 2026,” read the communique.

The parties also called for the immediate release of all detained leading politicians and those being harassed for bailable offences.

This, they said, would allow them to exercise their fundamental rights of participation and inclusivity as Nigerians.

The opposition, however, commended Nigerians for their resilience and readiness to work with opposition parties to free the nation.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that parties at the summit include the African Democratic Party (ADC), Labour Party (LP), and the New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP).

The following political leaders were present: Alhaji Abubakar Atiku, Alhaji Aminu Tambuwal, Mr Jerry Gana, Alhaji Babangida Aliyu, and Mr Peter Obi.

Others are Mr Kabiru Turaki, Mr Rafiu Aregbesola, Mr Rabiu Kwankwaso, Sen. David Mark, and Prof. Pat Utomi. (NAN)

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