In a strategic move ahead of the 2027 general elections, six political parties gathered in Kaduna State on Thursday to discuss plans to dislodge the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC). The summit, themed “Solid Political Party Structure Critical to the Sustainability of the Democratic Process,” was convened by the African Democratic Congress (ADC).
The event saw the participation of the New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP), the People’s Redemption Party (PRP), the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), the Social Democratic Party (SDP), the KOWA Party, the Inter-Party Advisory Council (IPAC), and the Coalition of United Political Parties.
Lawal Nalado, chairman of the summit, highlighted the “unbearable hardship” faced by Nigerians, emphasizing the need to address the country’s myriad issues. He clarified that the summit was not intended to form a merger or coalition among the parties but to mobilize grassroots support and promote political enlightenment.
“The opposition parties need to reach out to the downtrodden with political messages that can change their mindset, focusing on voting for the right candidates rather than money, religion, or ethnicity,” Nalado stated.
PRP National Chairman Falalu Bello, represented by Prof. Sule Muhammad, underscored the importance of mass mobilization of the electorate, stating that credible candidates alone are insufficient to win elections. He identified inadequate resources, lack of internal democracy, decayed transparency, and interference by the ruling party as major challenges facing opposition parties.
Ahmed Tujjani, chairman of ADC and IPAC Kaduna State, explained that the summit aimed to address socio-economic and political issues, proposing realistic solutions. “This is not about forming a coalition for 2027 but rather discussing our common problems and suggesting ways to solve them,” Tujjani said.
The summit concluded with plans to issue a communiqué summarizing the discussions and outlining a mini-working document to tackle the challenges ahead of the 2027 elections.
