Before the 2023 general election, many Nigerians expected the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) and Labour Party to form an alliance against the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).However, the expectation couldn’t materialize over reasons best known to the political actors involved in the negotiation of the alliance and the ruling party retained the presidency. Since after the election, there have been talks of alliance between the opposition parties and most analysts believed that alliance will strengthen the country’s democracy by creating a strong and dynamic opposition against the APC. Others believed that the alliance will fail as it did in 2023 over personal interest of key political actors and the consolidation of governance by the President Bola Tinubu administration. Despite the divergent views on the planned alliance, some key actors in the formation of the Obidient Movement, one of the most vibrant political movements in the history of Nigeria’s democratic journey, believe that an alliance of opposition forces is necessary before the 2027 general election.
The Convener of the National Consultative Front (NCFront), Prof. Pat Utomi, who shares this belief, recently disclosed that the presidential candidates of the PDP, LP and NNPP in the 2023 elections – Atiku Abubakar, Rabiu Kwankwaso and Peter Obi – as well as Ralph Okey Nwosu, founder and pioneer national chairman of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) have agreed to form a mega party that will wrestle power from the ruling APC in 2027. Noting that the coming together of the opposition leaders is in the interest of the country, Utomi said: “We’re not talking about names yet. Besides, these politicians I mentioned, I’m talking about leaders of social movements and the labour movement and so on. I have even been part of creating a new tribe; Nigerians who are committed to certain values, who say I will not give a bribe, I will not take a bribe. And you can then create a set of values that can lead to progress in the country. “The way we are today, a few people in the world are willing to engage with Nigeria. They think there’s a collapse of culture and values in Nigeria. You can’t trust Nigerians. All kinds of things are here. It’s a clean start. It’s a really clean start. You have to start from the premise that Nigeria has not had a political party since 1999. Let’s be very honest with ourselves, what we have managed is to create platforms that enable politiciams to grab power, usually for state capture. “If you want to test that, check how much the quality of life of a Nigerian has improved since 1999. It’s frightening, but the truth of the matter is that in 1999, a political class managed to build a certain coalition of accommodation to keep the military out and share the spoils of power. And somehow, they did not manage to create an alignment with the Nigerian people to improve the quality of their lives. “This is why you can see Nigeria deteriorating, becoming the poverty capital of the world, becoming the centre of widespread violence. And if you want to take some clear examples, I want anybody who is a political scientist, or economist in Nigeria to look at where India was in 1999 and where Nigeria was in terms of mood, violence in politics, the quality of life of people and where they both are today. “In 1991, India was technically bankrupt. Foreign reserves could not accommodate more than three weeks of trading. What has happened since 1999 is that India’s politics has managed to focus on the rational engagement of a developmental state. If you look at the numbers today, India is now speeding past the so-called miracle economies of South-East Asia. “Nigeria, on the other hand, has been travelling in the reverse direction. What better explanation can there be than the fact that Nigeria has not managed to organise the structures for political participation that can focus on the Nigerian people and lift their lives?”
Atiku’s proposition
Apart from Prof Utomi, Atiku has equally expressed willingness to lead a coalition of opposition parties to oust the ruling APC. In a congratulatory message to governors of PDP extraction whose elections were upheld by the Supreme Court, the former vicepresident reaffirmed his position that only a united opposition force can strengthen democracy in Nigeria. His words: “I am as prepared as ever to lead the charge, alongside all our leaders and governors, for the good of our country. Where justice is seen to have been substantially rendered, we, as patriots and citizens, will always applaud.” Describing the decision of the Supreme Court as good news for the people of Bauchi, Plateau, Cross River, and Zamfara states and, indeed, a win for constitutional democracy, Atiku also congratulated the governor of Kano State, Abba Yusuf, Atiku added that by the verdict of the apex court, there is a guaranteed continuation of the standards of good governance that the PDP has brought to the respective states. He urged the respective PDP governors, Bala Mohammed (Bauchi), Dauda Lawal (Zamfara), Barr. Caleb Muftwang (Plateau) and Umo Eno (Akwa Ibom) to see their wins at the Supreme Court as an opportunity to consolidate and expand the scope of the good governance they have already established. The former vice president noted that with the electioneering phase now concluded, he is certain that the PDP will now be able to focus on its role as the major opposition party in the country, with the party’s able governors at the helm along with his humble self.
It would be recalled that Atiku, who has repeatedly declared his resolve to continue to struggle with other Nigerians to deepen the nation’s democracy had earlier called for opposition political parties to come together and create a more formidable front that will salvage Nigeria’s democracy from sliding into a one-party state. He stressed that a formidable coalition is necessary to address the perceived decline in democratic values and to prevent Nigeria from becoming a de facto one-party system. He also noted that the project of protecting democracy in the country is not about just one man. “The project of protecting democracy in our country is not about just one man. But the truth of the matter is that our democracy is fast becoming a one-party system; and, of course, you know that when we have a one-party system, we should just forget about democracy. “We have all seen how the APC is increasingly turning Nigeria into a dictatorship of one party. If we don’t come together to challenge what the ruling party is trying to create, our democracy will suffer for it, and the consequences of it will affect the generations yet unborn,” he said.
Kwankwaso still contemplating next move
As Atiku and other key actors behind Peter Obi push for an alliance, Kwankwaso seems not to be interested in the 2027 general election discussion. The former Kano State governor has maintained that only time will tell if he will join President Tinubu’s administration. His words: “What happened at the Supreme Court is a lesson for all of us. I know that I mean well to everyone. Throughout the period, I have not done anything to anyone. And anybody would reap what he sows. “To the best of my knowledge, I have not reached an agreement with anybody. All I know is that President Bola Tinubu is my contemporary. I joined politics at the same time as him in the Social Democratic Party (SDP). Then he was a senator and I was serving as the deputy speaker of the House of Representatives. In 1999, he was my colleague as the governor of Lagos State. “We founded the APC together and we participated fully in the struggles which followed up. People should know that a lie has a short life. Despite the machinations those people staged, the judges have done what is right. There is no problem. They have their party; we have our own. We will work together where necessary and on the issue of joining the government, only time can tell.”
Seven opposition parties hold talks
Apart from the revelation of Prof Utomi, seven opposition political parties have commenced talks for a possible coalition or merger. The coalition is made up of the PDP, NNPP, ADC, Social Democratic Party (SDP), Allied Peoples Movement (APM), Young Progressives Party (YPP) and Zenith Labour Party (ZLP). The seven opposition political parties, which spoke under the umbrella of Coalition of Concerned Political Parties, expressed concern over the integrity of the judiciary in Nigeria and national security as well as fear of Nigeria sliding into a one-party state. The coalition also expressed worry over the level of instability in the country, urging the judiciary to save Nigeria’s democracy and rid itself of political and executive interference. Speaking at a press conference after a preliminary meeting, the acting National Secretary of the PDP, Setonji Koshoedo, who represented the party’s acting National Chairman, Umar Damagum, said: “The coalition wants to offer strong opposition for the good of Nigeria. We have to offer alternative solutions to government policies.”
The National Chairman of the SDP, Shehu Gabam, on his part, noted: “We looked into the issue of the judiciary. The judiciary is the last hope of the common man if it still stands. We are worried about the level of instability the country is going through. “The judiciary should strengthen their conviction towards delivering judgements that can stand the test of time. They should not allow us politicians to infiltrate their rank, sanity and capacity to deliver judgements that are internationally sound and can be recognized.” On insecurity, Gabam averred that the security situation in the country is getting worse. “We have looked at the security situation in the country with a lot of concern. When the President came in, he promised to do everything humanly possible to secure the lives and properties of Nigerians. We want to urge him to do more than he is doing; the security situation is not improving. “For us to have a conducive environment, where people can invest domestically and internationally, the nation must be secured. Any nation that can’t secure the lives of citizens cannot think of attracting investors from anywhere. The environment is choked, it is not secured, people cannot move freely; they need to rejig the security system,” he said. Gabam urged the National Assembly to review and rejig the 2024 budget, lamenting that Nigeria is operating a theoretical budget and not an operational budget. He said: “We have also looked at the issue of the Renewed Hope Budget. We have analysed that budget and in our humble analysis and opinion, we believe strongly that the National Assembly needs to step in and review the budget. “Our population is over 200 million; we don’t want a budget that is theory-based. The budget must be operational. It is in the interest of the country for the leadership to develop an operational budget, not a budget based on projections and theories that cannot be realised.” The ADC National Chairman, Nwosu, who also spoke, said “the idea behind the coalition is to strengthen our democracy as we have seen that people in government are trying to stifle viable opposition.”
LP likely to key in
Although the Labour Party was not at the meeting, its National Chairman, Julius Abure, who spoke differently, said if a merger or coalition becomes an option, his party will consider the option. Abure, who assessed the outcome of the 2023 elections and the off-season Imo, Bayelsa and Kogi governorship elections, said it was apparent that Nigeria is gradually sliding to a oneparty state. He said: “From the pronouncements of the courts, there are genuine fears being expressed that Nigeria is moving towards a one-party state. So, if a merger of the opposition parties will save Nigeria; why not! If it will save our democracy; why not! If it will help us have results; why not! If it will enhance our institutions and put food on our table; why not!” Abure, however, said that Labour Party is yet to consider the idea, but added: “It is an option we can look at. The Labour Party has not taken a position on the proposed, but if that becomes an option to save Nigeria, why not!”
Obi’s position
Despite the determination of these opposition parties to form an alliance, Obi has insisted that the Labour Party is committed to building a better and a new Nigeria where they would move Nigeria from consumption to production. The former Anambra State governor, who spoke at a mega rally in Edo State, said reports of a merger were rumours. “Labour Party will continue to grow. We will continue to get stronger and better. Half of the things you are hearing everywhere are rumours, don’t listen to them. We are committed to building a better and a new Nigeria where we will move Nigeria from consumption to production,” Obi said. Also, one of the spokespersons for the Labour Party Presidential Campaign Council (LP-PCC), Yunusa Tanko, who spoke on the issue, described the rumoured merger between the PDP, NNPP and the LP as unattainable. He added that discussions with political parties of like minds who believe in the party’s ideology and principles remain open, reiterating that there is no foreclosure on the matter. “When you talk about merger, it means that political parties from different parts of the country submit their document to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), and then they will be pronounced as a new political party, which isn’t obtainable at the moment. So, the merger is out of the question technically. But, when you talk about discussion on the possibility of an alliance of opposition parties; that is possible.” He, however, acknowledged that talks about a possible merger were ongoing even before the 2023 elections but could not happen, reiterating that an alliance is possible.
A former National Chairman of the PDP, Dr Okwesilieze Nwodo, on his part, said the PDP, LP and NNPP have realised they made a mistake. He noted that if the parties had remained together, they would have been able to beat APC in the 2023 presidential election. He said: “Well, I don’t think there is talk of a merger, but I think the three parties have realised they made a mistake. If they had remained together, they would have been able to beat APC hands down. It would have been a landslide victory for them. Therefore, it makes sense for them to begin to think about how to cooperate. That is simple arithmetic.” The Spokesperson for the Forum of State Chairmen of NNPP, Dada Olayinka Olabode, who also reacted to the report, dismissed it as a figment of the imagination of the discussants. Olabode in a statement acknowledged that the party had been inundated with reports on merger talks amongst the PDP, LP and NNPP. He, however, said that it would amount to a sell-out to think of a merger or alliance without proper consultation with the different organs of the party structure. He noted that NNPP is a growing political party whose prospects have brightened with mass acceptability amongst Nigerians. With the cacophony of voices surrounding the proposed alliance, many Nigerians are anxiously hoping and waiting that the move will materialize. But until then, Nigeria’s democracy requires a vibrant opposition party that will put the ruling APC on its toes.
