The Governor of Oyo State, Seyi Makinde, has dismissed claims that the gathering of opposition parties and leaders in Ibadan, the state capital, on Saturday ahead of the 2027 general elections was targeted at anyone.
He insisted that the meeting was focused on strengthening Nigeria’s democratic system ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Makinde made the clarification after the National Summit of Opposition Political Party Leaders held at the newly-constructed Banquet Hall of the Oyo State Government House, Ibadan, held on Saturday.
According to the governor, the objective of the meeting goes beyond personalities or political ambitions, stressing that it was convened in the interest of preserving democratic values and ensuring a competitive political environment.
“Let me also be clear about what this meeting is not. It is not a gang-up against one man, and it is not about individual ambitions to be president.
“It is about the collective ambition of the Nigerian people to have a democracy properly defined,” Makinde said.
“This is a gathering about something more fundamental, the survival of a system that allows Nigeria to remain open, competitive, and accountable, because democracy without opposition is not democracy, it is a slow drift toward a one -party State and Nigeria must not make that drift,” he added.
Makinde further underscored the importance of a vibrant opposition in sustaining democracy, noting that no political party, regardless of its strength or popularity, should dominate the system without checks and balances.
“The truth is simple. No matter how strong any party becomes, no matter how popular any government may appear, the presence of credible opposition is not a threat to democracy; it is what sustains democracy,” he stated.
The governor also cautioned that weakening opposition voices—whether intentionally or through neglect—could have far-reaching consequences for the country’s democratic future.
