2027 Presidency: Three opposition candidates agree to work together, defeat Tinubu

The presidential candidates of the Accord Party, African Action Congress (AAC) and Social Democratic Party (SDP) have agreed to work together towards building a common democratic force ahead of the 2027 presidential election.

The resolution was reached at a meeting in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, involving the Accord candidate, Gbenga Olawepo-Hashim; AAC candidate, Omoyele Sowore; and SDP candidate, Adewole Adebayo.

The opposition candidates deliberated on Nigeria’s political situation, economy and security, expressing concern over what they described as the concentration of political power, weakening democratic institutions and shrinking space for meaningful political competition.

They warned that Nigeria could be moving away from competitive multi-party democracy towards what they described as “a coronation disguised as an election.”

The three candidates consequently resolved to align their political structures and forces towards presenting Nigerians with what they described as a joint democratic alternative in 2027.

They said the proposed alliance would seek to mobilise workers, youths, women, professionals, entrepreneurs, civil society organisations and Nigerians across ethnic, religious, regional and political divides.

The leaders said the structure, modalities and choice of presidential candidate for the proposed alliance would be determined later, stressing that “the larger national interest must take precedence over individual political ambitions.”

They also demanded an immediate review of cases involving Nigerians detained or imprisoned over political expression, self-determination advocacy or the peaceful exercise of constitutionally protected rights.

The candidates specifically called for the release of Nnamdi Kanu, whose agitation has centred on the political rights and aspirations of the Igbo people, and Bichia Maisango, whom they identified as an advocate of Hausa Zallah cultural rights.

They further called for an end to what they described as the legal and political persecution of Sowore over his political activities.

The leaders stressed that their position did not amount to an endorsement of the views or methods of the individuals concerned.

“Democratic societies must accommodate dissent and peaceful disagreement,” they said.

The opposition candidates also urged the international community, democratic governments, regional institutions and international democracy and human-rights organisations to monitor Nigeria’s democratic development.

They alleged attempts by individuals within the security architecture, electoral institutions, judiciary, legislature and executive to weaken opposition parties, manipulate public institutions and frustrate political competition.

While rejecting foreign interference in Nigeria’s internal affairs, they called for accountability where public office holders or institutional actors are found to have abused their positions to undermine constitutional democracy.

They also urged international partners to document credible evidence of democratic reversals and consider lawful targeted sanctions, including visa restrictions, against individuals established to have participated in such activities.

“Nigeria’s multi-party democracy must be preserved. No individual, political party, security agency, electoral official or institution is bigger than the Nigerian Constitution,” they declared.

Opposition attacks Tinubu’s economic policies

The three candidates criticised the economic policies of President Bola Tinubu’s administration, particularly fuel subsidy removal and currency devaluation.

They argued that the policies had contributed to rising living costs, declining purchasing power, unemployment and widespread economic hardship.

They called for urgent economic reforms, including substantial salary reviews towards a genuine living wage, stronger domestic production, investment promotion, job creation and measures to reduce inflation.

On insecurity, they demanded a proactive national security strategy based on intelligence, technology, adequately equipped security forces, community cooperation, economic opportunities and effective prosecution.

They rejected what they described as appeasement, selective enforcement and political complicity that allowed violent groups to operate with impunity.

The candidates pledged to defend Nigeria’s multi-party system and resist political monopolisation.

“A democracy without meaningful opposition is merely an electoral ritual,” they said, reaffirming the constitutional right of Nigerians to form political parties, contest elections, disagree with government and present alternative programmes without intimidation.

They also argued that national unity must be built on justice and inclusion.

“Unity cannot be built by suppressing differences; it must be built by guaranteeing justice within diversity,” they said.

The proposed alliance, according to the candidates, is not simply an anti-incumbency arrangement but an attempt to develop a credible governing alternative based on democratic accountability, economic justice, security, institutional reform, social inclusion and national development.

Democratic Renewal Movement launched in Port Harcourt

Meanwhile, the Movement for Democratic Renewal (MDR) for the South-South and South-East zones was launched on Saturday in Port Harcourt, with speakers calling for greater political unity to rescue the country.

The MDR is co-chaired by Olawepo-Hashim and Nigeria Labour Congress President, Joe Ajaero.

NLC leaders and representatives of industrial unions gathered at the NLC Labour House in Port Harcourt to deliberate on what they described as a fundamental national question: “How do we rescue Nigeria’s democracy and restore hope to millions of our people?”

Olawepo-Hashim said Nigeria had historically been a prosperous country but argued that successive leaders had contributed to its decline.

According to him, Nigeria’s prosperity continued until 1976, when the country was a lender rather than a borrowing nation.

“Today, industrialisation has gone out of Nigeria. But we must rescue our democracy. Any democracy that abandons the welfare of the workers is a mirage,” he said.

Adebayo urged Nigerians to reject intimidation and political pressure ahead of the 2027 elections.

“All workers must vote, because our problem is that our leaders today see themselves as colonial masters in black skin,” he said.

He stressed the importance of ideological unity, saying political movements must develop cadres capable of participating not only in protests but also in governance.

“Unity is important. For people, we can only be united by ideology. You must raise cadres not for protest alone, but for government,” Adebayo said.

Ajaero, who was represented by Denja Yakub, said Nigerians could not rely on outsiders to solve the country’s problems.

“Nobody will fight for us. We need to fight for ourselves. There will never be industry for us if we don’t have worker-friendly people in power,” he said.

The NLC chairmen from Rivers, Akwa Ibom, Cross River, Bayelsa, Edo, Enugu, Anambra, Imo, Abia and Ebonyi states attended the event.

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