By Onyeche Igwe
Unless the major opposition parties resolve the unfolding crises within their ranks, their plan to forge a strong coalition that could stop the ruling All Progressive Congress, APC, and perhaps, President Bola Tinubu in the 2027 polls may not come to fruition.
Currently, each of the major opposition parties like the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP; Labour Party, LP; All Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA; New Nigeria Peoples Party, NNPP; and the African Democratic Congress, ADC, are weathering one cohesion-threatening problem or the other.
Recently, the 2023 Presidential Candidate of the Labour Party, Mr Peter Obi, met with his NNPP counterpart, Rabiu Kwankwaso, and former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, who flew the PDP presidential flag in 2023 in what was considered as part of political realignment ahead of the 2027 polls. Obi also met with former Jigawa State Governor, Sule Lamido and former Senate President, Bukola Saraki.
Atiku Abubakar, first mooted the idea of a merger by opposition political parties while hosting the Inter-Party Advisory Council, IPAC, last November. He said the country was sliding into a one-party state, and added that it is crucial for the opposition parties to come together to wrest power from the APC.
He told the IPAC team: “You have come here today to say that we should cooperate in order to promote democracy. 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.“
Recently, the National Chairman of the ADC, Chief Ralph Okey Nwosu, said leaders of opposition parties were in talks to build a more formidable party to oust the ruling APC in 2027.
“Twenty-two of the thoughtful and proactive leaders of political parties in blazing the trail have joined hands with our party, ADC, and like us, are committed to building a larger party that will give accommodation to all well-meaning patriots.
“We have resolved to work with all political leaders across that appreciate the need for coming together for a new Nigeria. We discriminate against none; our commitment is a new Nigeria that will lead our dear continent out of its present abyss. We have therefore set up committees to consult far and wide to ensure the dawn of a new era,” Nwosu stated.
Past alliances
Nigeria’s political history is replete with failed alliances and mergers.
In the First Republic, the United Progressive Grand Alliance, UPGA, consisting mainly of the National Council for Nigerian Citizens, NCNC, and the Action Group, AG, could not stop the Northern People’s Congress, NPC, because UPGA leaders could not sink their ambitions and differences.
In the Second Republic, the Nigerian People’s Party, NPP, Unity Party of Nigeria, UPN, People’s Redemption Party, PRP, and the Great Nigerian People’s Party, GNPP, formed the People’s Progressive Alliance, PPA, which also failed to click against the National Party of Nigeria, NPN.
In 1999, the Alliance for Democracy, AD, which had swept the South-West in earlier polls aligned with All Peoples Party, APP, that dominated elections in the North with the intention of beating PDP at the presidential poll. It gave the PDP a good fight but failed to win the election.
In 2007, about 15 parties came together and formed the Action Congress, AC but the party made little or no impact in the presidential election.
A move by the Action Congress of Nigeria, ACN, and Congress for Progressive Change, CPC, to join forces in the 2011 polls did not yield dividends.
However, in 2013, leaders of the APC, an amalgam of four opposition parties – ACN, CPC, All Nigerian Peoples Party, ANPP, APGA, joined forces. They vowed “to rescue Nigeria from the grip of the PDP” in 2015.
Indeed, the plans worked out as Major General Muhammadu Buhari, their presidential candidate, floored incumbent President Goodluck Jonathan of the PDP in the 2015 election. It was the first time an incumbent president was losing a re-election in Nigeria.
Now, some opposition parties are at it once again.Although the February 20, 2027 presidential poll is 903 days or 30 months away, and the opposition parties have time to up their game, it is difficult to tell if they would resolve their deepening differences, and join forces to forge a granite coalition. If they succeed, and trounce the APC at the election, it will be the second time the nation will witness a successful alliance.
