Divisions within Nigeria’s opposition bloc following the Ibadan summit have raised questions about the viability of a proposed single presidential candidate for the 2027 general elections and potentially strengthening the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).

While opposition leaders at the summit agreed to present a united front against President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, immediate dissent from key actors, including factions within the African Democratic Congress (ADC) and the African Action Congress (AAC), has exposed fault lines that could undermine efforts at electoral consolidation.

The summit, hosted by Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde on Saturday, brought together key opposition figures, including former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, Labour Party’s 2023 presidential candidate Peter Obi, and former Kano State governor Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso.

Also, beyond internal disagreements, the coalition faces legal and structural constraints. Nigeria’s electoral framework requires candidates to run under a single party, while rules on primaries, consensus and merger timelines limit coalition options, further complicated by intra-party disputes and competing ambitions.

Meanwhile, the APC has moved quickly to capitalise on the emerging divisions, dismissing the coalition as incoherent and lacking credibility, and arguing that the opposition’s internal disputes reinforce doubts about its capacity to mount a coordinated challenge in 2027.

The All Progressives Congress rejected allegations of persecution by opposition figures at the summit and dismissed claims of a move towards a one-party state, describing comments attributed to Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde as capable of undermining national stability.

Opposition parties, at a summit held in Ibadan on Saturday, had resolved to form a united front against what they described as attempts to impose a one-party system ahead of the 2027 general elections.

In a statement signed by its National Publicity Secretary, Felix Morka, the APC said Makinde invoked the “bloody history” of “Operation Wetie” to incite Nigerians to violence over what it described as “baseless and senseless allegation of the country’s descent into a one-party state.”

The party described the governor’s remarks as “reckless and a clear and present threat to peace and national security,” adding that it was disturbing for a sitting governor to reference a violent episode in Nigeria’s history in a manner it said could threaten public order.

“By his incitement to violence, Makinde has shown himself to be unworthy of the high office of Governor that he occupies,” the party stated.

“Makinde’s violent rhetoric cannot be dismissed as mere opposition posturing. His statement risks fueling anarchy, murderous rage and widespread lawlessness capable of undermining national stability. We therefore call on all relevant security and intelligence agencies to take this unfortunate development seriously and act to safeguard lives, property, and defend Nigeria’s democratic order.

“Makinde must be reminded that constitutional immunity from prosecution is not immunity from accountability for threats or acts against national security. No individual, however highly placed, should have the power to threaten or endanger the lives and safety of Nigerians or upend the country’s hard-won democratic governance under the guise of political commentary.”

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has however, accused President Bola Tinubu, the All Progressives Congress (APC), and key national institutions of being responsible for rising political tension and any potential violence ahead of the 2027 general elections.

In a counter-statement issued by its National Publicity Secretary, Comrade Ini Ememobong, yesterday, the opposition party defended Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde over his recent remarks at the National Summit of Opposition Political Parties held in Ibadan, insisting that his reference to the historic “wetie” violence was not a threat but a warning against political repression.

The PDP said the governor merely used history to caution the ruling party and national institutions about the consequences of suppressing opposition voices.

“The use of history in the way and manner done by Governor Makinde in the said speech served as a caution and advisory to the Federal Government, the APC, and other national institutions, of the unmitigated crisis that their actions and inactions can result in,” the statement said.

According to the PDP, Makinde’s remarks were a reminder that when political greed replaces patriotism and good governance, and public frustration continues to build, the outcome could be severe.

The APC also rejected what it described as attempts by “confused opposition leaders to frame their internal shambles in alarmist narratives about so-called one-party domination.”

The party said opposition parties were grappling with internal challenges arising from what it described as “anti-democratic practices, miserably poor leadership, internal contradictions, utter disregard for due process and the rule of law, persistent factionalisation, and the desperate and dissonant presidential ambitions of their leaders.”

It further alleged that the Peoples Democratic Party was weakened by Atiku Abubakar’s “ruthless confiscation” of its 2023 presidential ticket, while claiming that the Labour Party had been undermined by the “restless nomadic disposition” of its 2023 presidential candidate, Peter Obi.

The APC also described the African Democratic Congress coalition platform as “basically stillborn,” alleging that it had been weakened by internal disputes among opposition figures.

According to the party, opposition leaders had failed to build stable political structures, instead moving between parties in pursuit of presidential ambitions.

The APC expressed confidence that Nigerians would assess the opposition’s internal challenges and governance record.

“These opposition leaders and their coalition of confusion have not put anything forward by way of an alternative vision for Nigeria’s development. All they have in their arsenal is fear-mongering built on false narratives about the APC,” the statement said.

“Our great Party rejects the veiled expectation of opposition leaders that the APC would help them manage their internal affairs.

“We bear no such duty and will not provide any such leadership consulting services to them. And we will not yield to blackmail to abdicate our duty to our Party to plan, organise, and mobilise to compete effectively in the upcoming 2027 general elections.”

The party maintained that Nigeria’s democratic space remains open, noting that multiple political parties are registered and active in the electoral process.

It reaffirmed its commitment to strengthening democratic institutions, upholding the rule of law, and implementing the Renewed Hope Agenda under the leadership of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.