The decision at the National Summit of Opposition Political Party Leaders held in Ibadan yesterday April 25, 2026, to field a single presidential candidate for the 2027 general elections is a clarion call to save Nigeria, a call for common sense, a call for selflessness. This is a call every Nigerian of conscience must obey.
Let me begin.
I have explored a presidential run in the past and have remained a steadfast voice in our national discourse. I can say this without false modesty: I am rooted in the conviction that I possess the magic wand to save Nigetia. I truly do…I also make bold to say that my credentials probably outshine the current fief of presidential aspirants. My visions, character and charisma have stirred the hearts of many. And I’m still here—ready and very confident and capable.
But I am not a fool. I am pragmatic. I am an objective patriot, deeply concerned for the survival of our nation. I recognize that there are other qualities or attributes urgently needed at this very moment. I mean qualities that I may not have in absolute abundance at this critical point in time. I mean NOW—with only few months to the elections! This fleeting urgency of now is why common sense dictates that I must support this candidate who may be more ideal at this particular time in history.
The very urgency of now is built around one individual that has emerged as the public enemy number one. The objective fact is that President Bola Ahmed TInubu is an existential threat to the Nigerian project. This statement is not an emotional outburst nor a partisan outcry; it is a heartfelt scream for survival. Where do we begin or where do we stop in describing the Nigerian crisis?
Under the TInubu regime, the nation has bled, still bleeding. Poverty has been weaponized, the economy is in shambles, and insecurity threatens to consume every corner of our federation. And he has no soul, he does not care. Thus, to treat the 2027 election as just another political contest is a fatal error that will consume our future. Tinubu must be defeated and dethroned for the common good. To do that, and in line with the Ibadan summit, the opposition cannot afford the luxury of fragmentation.
The opposition has no alternative option than to unite behind a single figure—this candidate you are soon to know. This candidate is not perfect, but simply a candidate who possesses these three non-negotiable attributes: popularity, massive financial backing, and high-level competence.
This candidate must have been popular already, a unifying figure, charismatic enough to bridge the regional divides that Tinubu has exploited. Unlike me, he must have become a household name by now. He is also someone who brings together the youth energy, the frustrated middle class, and the rural poor.
Second, this candidate ought to have the capacity to raise money across the Nigerian financial networks to drive the opposition message to every polling booth in the country. Yes, we cannot match Tinubu’s financial warchest, but we must not lack the resources to compete home and abroad.
Third, this candidate must have the proven competence to govern from day one. The situation today does not offer Nigeria the luxury of another candidate whose only goal of running for president is to simply become a president. We need a leader with a soul, someone with a clear, tested, and workable blueprint for economic recovery and national security.
Opposition leaders must think back—back to 2015. That very year, activists like my humble self who proud ourselves for speaking truth to power were able to cover our faces to unite behind a former military dictator for a common purpose. Indomitable activists, notably, Omoyele Sowore, Bayo Oluwasanmi, Oby Ezekwesili, Dele Farotimi, Pat Utomi, Shehu Sani, Wole Soyinka, Femi Falana, Dele Momodu, and others led the way. The reason for this sense of uncommon unity was simple: To defeat corruption and the perceived cluelessness of the Jonathan administration, unity was more crucial than purity.
The 2027 imperative is even more critical. Goodluck Ebele Jonathan is a saint compared to the Jagaban. Even worse, Nigeria is on the brink of a one-party state being engineered through the coercive forces of Bola Ahmed TInubu.
Therefore, if the ego of any single opposition leader prevents a united front, he or she is complicit in the continued destruction of Nigeria. This ideal candidate must be the vehicle. It is time for a common good alliance. It I time for a greater good sacrifice It is time to sacrifice ambition for nationhood. It is time to defeat the threat, or we all perish together.
SKC Ogbonnia, a former APC Presidential Aspirant, writes from Ibadan , Oyo State.
