The National Chairman of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Senator David Mark, on Saturday raised the alarm over Nigeria’s worsening security situation and what he described as a steady erosion of democratic freedoms, calling for urgent unity among opposition parties to “rescue the country.”

Mark spoke at a national opposition summit held in Ibadan, Oyo State, and hosted by Governor Seyi Makinde, where leaders of various political parties gathered to deliberate on the state of the nation ahead of future elections.

In a hard-hitting address, the former Senate President said Nigeria was facing what he termed a “historic security challenge,” citing rising cases of terrorism, banditry, kidnappings and violent crime across the country.

He said, “The call to rescue Nigeria is not a mere opposition slogan. The evidence is there for all of us to see. Across the length and breadth of our country, insecurity has become a defining feature of daily life.

“From the avoidable protracted insurgency and terrorism, to the relentless banditry and mass kidnappings, to the steady rise of violent crimes in our urban centres, Nigeria faces a historic challenge.”

He alleged that more than 12,000 conflict-related deaths were recorded in 2025 alone, insisting the figure surpassed those of several countries officially at war. He also claimed that at least 15 Nigerians were being killed daily, while about 19 others were abducted.

“The statistics are frightening. In 2025 alone, Nigeria recorded more than 12,000 conflict-related deaths. This figure exceeds those of countries who are actively at war, like Syria, Iraq and Yemen, combined. Nigeria is now ranked 4th in global terrorism index. Despite all the claims and posturing by government, the situation continues to get worse.

“While global terrorism deaths fell by 28% in 2025, Nigeria’s increased by 46%. At least 15 Nigerians are killed daily, while about 19 people are abducted. In the first three months of this year alone, about 1,400 Nigerians have been killed or abducted in different parts of the country.

” Entire communities are uprooted, families shattered, and livelihoods destroyed. Fear has taken the place of freedom, and uncertainty has replaced hope,” he said

He also accused the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) of failing in its constitutional duty to protect citizens, alleging that government attention had shifted towards political survival rather than governance.

“Yet, the government, whose primary duty it is to protect the citizens, carry on with a shocking indifference as if nothing is wrong. We are a nation that is constantly in mourning, a nation burying its citizens with alarming regularity, a nation crying out for leadership and protection.

“While these killings and kidnappings continue relentlessly, the APC led government is behaving as if all is well. The government is preoccupied with election matters and politics of self-succession,” he said.

Mark further alleged that opposition parties were under sustained pressure, warning of what he called attempts to weaken pluralism and tilt Nigeria towards a one-party system.

He argued that democratic institutions were being compromised and citizens’ electoral choices increasingly undermined.

“The essence of democracy is to provide the people with a choice. When one government fails, like this government has woefully done, the constitution of our land grants the people the power to vote that government out.

“However, with what we have witnessed in recent times, the ruling party has done everything to deny the people of Nigeria this very right to seek an alternative. In the last three years, this government has launched major attacks on the opposition parties, all in a bid to deny the people the right to choose.

“They want to foist a one-party state on Nigeria. Institutions that should safeguard our freedom and protect the will of the people are increasingly under assault. The right of citizens to freely choose their leaders is being undermined. The independence of democratic institutions is being compromised. In fact, it is becoming increasingly difficult to describe what we have today as a fully functioning democracy in both form and substance.

“Our mission to rescue Nigeria is a task that must be done. When we, as members of the opposition, say that our singular objective is to rescue Nigeria, we are neither exaggerating nor engaging in political theatrics. The task before us is nothing short of a national rescue mission. It is a mission born out of necessity, compelled by the suffering of our people, and driven by the urgency of the moment.

“I must emphasise therefore, that this responsibility is far more important than partisan sentiment, personal interest or personal ambition. What is at stake; the very survival and restoration of our country, is greater than every single one of us. It involves sacrifice by every member in the opposition. I have no doubt in my mind, that no single opposition political party, no matter how strong, can confront a system so entrenched and so determined to retain power at all costs.

“What we are faced with is a regime that has shown, in both words and in deeds, a willingness to weaken democratic structures and suppress opposition voices. Let’s not make a mistake about this. The move towards a one-party state is real. It has never happened before in this country, and it will not happen in our generation.

“The government has argued that it is not their duty to help build the opposition. They are right. And we seek no such favour from them. They call what they are doing to opposition political parties ‘strategy’. I call it tyranny. But is it their duty to destroy the opposition as they have brazenly attempted to do? Can one do what they have been doing and still claim to believe in democracy, or to be a democrat? The answer is certainly NO.

“We must not be in doubts. The forces that have sought to destabilise our various political parties will not stop. Even as we gather here, they are already scheming how to further undermine us and divide our ranks and sow seeds of discord among us. But we on our path must remember where the rains began to beat us.

“We must remember how we got to where we are today. We must remember what has brought us here. We must remain clear that we cannot confront the future as fragmented entities,” he said.

Mark maintained that no single opposition party could confront what he described as a “deeply entrenched system,” urging coalition building anchored on trust, sacrifice and unity.

“We must be united to salvage our nation. It is for these reasons that this gathering and our dealings must be anchored on honesty and integrity. We must put all our cards faced up on the table and speak truthfully to one another.

“There must be no hidden agendas, no last-minute surprises, and no room for distrust. Perhaps, more than anything else, the success of our collective effort depends on our ability to build and sustain trust.

“We are racing against time, and operating within a limited window. The urgency of our situation does not permit repeated mistakes. We must be willing to rise above narrow sentiments and reject petty parochialism that has historically divided the oppositions in this country. This is the time to rewrite the story of coalition building in Nigeria,” he added.

He also dismissed what he described as government claims of strategy against the opposition, calling such actions “tyranny” rather than democracy.

“The record of the APC government is one of failure. What remains in its wake is an aggressive reliance on propaganda and a sustained assault on opposition voices. However, we will not engage in a contest of propaganda. We will not substitute truth with noise.

“Their reliance on propaganda only exposes a deeper problem, an inability to accept responsibility and a lack of integrity. Nigerians are watching, and they have seen through the smokescreen and the lies. They recognize a government that has failed to meet their expectations and shown no empathy for their sufferings.

“This is why, as we have repeatedly maintained, the struggle before us is no longer a conventional political contest. This contest is between the ruling party APC, and the Nigerian people. APC is contesting against the mother who has just buried her child, against the father who works tirelessly yet cannot feed his family, against the young graduate who sees no future, and against the pensioner who has been abandoned after decades of service. We are on the side of the people. Therefore, the Almighty God is on our side.

“Recent changes within the economic management team are themselves a tacit admission of failure. When a system is functioning effectively, you do not replace leadership. Reshuffling cabinet at this late hour cannot save them from the verdict of the people,” he said.

On the electoral process, Mark questioned public confidence in the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), alleging that it was no longer widely seen as neutral.

“Distinguished Ladies and gentlemen, as I conclude, let me use this opportunity to emphasise once again, that the credibility of our democracy rests on the neutrality and integrity of its electoral institutions.

“When the referee clearly and proudly wears the jersey of one of the teams in a match he should be officiating, then the legitimacy of the entire process is undermined. In this instance, Nigerians have lost confidence in the electoral body, INEC.

” INEC is no longer an impartial umpire. And if nothing changes, Professor Joash Ojo Amupitan is about to preside over the most distrusted election in Nigerian history. The consequences are better left to imagination.

He called on oppositeion leaders to prioritise national interest over personal ambition, describing the moment as a “defining opportunity to reshape Nigeria’s democratic future.

“Leaders of our parties, let it be said loud and clear that at a defining moment in our history, when Nigeria stood at the edge of uncertainty, we did not falter. We did not allow personal ambition to override the desire of Nigerians for a better life.

” We did not collapse under the temptation of petty partisanship or self-satisfying ambitions. Instead, we chose unity over division, sacrifice over self, and country above all.

“Let this summit go down in history as the moment when everything changed. Let this be the beginning of a decisive movement, a movement that will restore the dignity of our democracy, secure the lives of our people, and rebuild the foundations of our nation.

“I am very confident that if we stand together with conviction, discipline, and sincerity, no force will be strong enough to stop the will of the Nigerian people. May history remember us for our courage, our sacrifice and our resolve to save our democracy and our country. May it record that when Nigeria called, we answered with unwavering commitment, when our people needed us, we did not falter and we did not fail them. And may God bless the Federal Republic of Nigeria,” he said.

Prominent leaders of opposition political parties at the meeting include former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar, former Minister of Information, Professor Jerry Gana, Aisha Yesufu and Professor Pat Utomi.

Others are former Governor of Osun State, Rauf Aregbesola, Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola, former governor of Sokoto State, Aminu Tambuwal, former governor of Kano, Rabiu Kwankwanso and Yunusa Tanko are there.

Former Governor of Kwara State, Abdulfatai Ahmed, former governor of Rivers State, Rotimi Ameachi, former governor of Niger State, Babangida Aliyu were also at the meeting. (Saturday PUNCH)

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