Leaders of opposition political parties have converged on Ibadan, Oyo State, for a summit aimed at forging a united front ahead of future political contests, amid allegations of planned disruption by the ruling party.
The spokesperson for the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Bolaji Abdullahi, alleged in a post on X that the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) was planning to frustrate the meeting.ongoing on Saturday.
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Mr Abdullahi said the opposition had earlier been denied access to venues in Abuja and now faced fresh threats against the Ibadan gathering. He, however, stated that opposition leaders would proceed with the meeting, insisting they were on the side of the Nigerian people.
“We have uncovered plans by the ruling APC to disrupt the summit being held by the opposition parties in Ibadan, Oyo State, today, 25th of April.
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“After denying us the use of venues in Abuja, they now will not leave us alone to hold our meetings. They say they are not scared, but they are behaving like people who are terrified. But we will not be deterred, because we are on the side of the Nigerian people,” he said.
The APC has not publicly responded to the allegation as of press time.
The summit, tagged ‘National Summit of All Opposition Political Party Leaders,’ is being held at the Banquet Hall of the Government House in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital. It is themed, ‘That We May Work Together for a United Opposition to Sustain Our Democracy.’
Former President Olusegun Obasanjo is chairing the event, while Governor Seyi Makinde is hosting.
A former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar, confirmed his arrival in Ibadan for the meeting in a separate post on X.
Organisers say the summit is designed to address Nigeria’s pressing governance, economic and security challenges while exploring pathways for collaboration among opposition parties.
Key speakers include Chidi Odinkalu and Usman Bugaje, who will speak on democratic governance; Mike Igini, who is expected to address electoral integrity; Pat Utomi, who will focus on economic reforms; and Kabir Adamu, who will speak on insecurity.
The gathering comes at a time of heightened political activity and growing calls for stronger opposition coordination in Nigeria’s multi-party system. Organisers describe it as a strategic response to the country’s socio-economic and security challenges.
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In recent months, the ruling APC, led by President Bola Tinubu, has faced criticism from opposition parties and some civil society groups over growing constraints on political activities. The opposition has alleged a pattern of actions aimed at limiting its ability to organise and mobilise, claims the government has consistently denied.
The issue came to the fore during preparations for ADC National Congress when the party said it faced repeated setbacks in securing venues in Abuja for its convention.
Party officials said some bookings were withdrawn at short notice, forcing last-minute adjustments and fuelling concerns among opposition figures about possible interference, although no direct link to government authorities was officially confirmed.
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