Six political parties gathered in Kaduna State on Thursday to strategize on unseating the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in the 2027 general elections.
The summit, themed ‘Solid Political Party Structure Critical to the Sustainability of the Democratic Process,’ was organized by the African Democratic Congress.
The event was attended by representatives from the New Nigeria People’s Party, the People’s Redemption Party, the All Progressives Grand Alliance, the Social Democratic Party, the KOWA Party, as well as the Inter-Party Advisory Council (IPAC) and the Coalition of United Political Parties.
Summit chairman Lawal Nalado expressed concern over the “unbearable hardship” faced by Nigerians, stating that the purpose of the gathering was to discuss the nation’s numerous issues and potential solutions.
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Nalado denied claims that the summit aimed to form a merger or coalition among the parties.
Instead, he emphasized the need for opposition parties to mobilize grassroots voters by educating the underprivileged on political issues, aiming to shift the perception that politics revolves around money, religion, or ethnicity, and encouraging them to vote for candidates who can improve societal welfare.
Falalu Bello, National Chairman of the PRP, underscored the importance of mobilizing the electorate effectively, highlighting that fielding credible candidates alone is insufficient for winning elections.
Represented by Prof. Sule Muhammad, Bello pointed out several challenges facing opposition parties, including inadequate resources, lack of internal democracy, diminished transparency, and interference by the ruling party.
Ahmed Tujjani, chairman of the ADC and IPAC in Kaduna State, noted that the summit aimed to address socio-economic and political problems faced by the parties and to propose realistic solutions.
He clarified, “This is not a gathering for a merger or forming a coalition ahead of 2027 but rather a summit to discuss our common problems and suggest solutions for addressing them.
“We will call you again by tomorrow to read out our communique which will be a summary and possibly a mini-working document of solving our problems ahead of 2027.”
