By Imafidon F.E
Across Nigeria today, despair walks hand-in-hand with the common man; from the rising cost of food and transportation to the persistent collapse of the naira, crumbling infrastructure, high unemployment, high cost of fuel or sometimes scarcity, and the growing spate of insecurity, the average Nigerian is burdened with an unbearable weight. While the governing elite seem insulated from the pains of daily existence, the people have been left to fend for themselves in a system that is failing them. Yet, amid this hardship, the opposition parties that should offer hope and a pathway to change remain fragmented and politically self-absorbed.
The People’s Democratic Party (PDP), Labour Party (LP), Social Democratic Party (SDP), New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), African Democratic Congress (ADC), Action Democratic Party (ADP), Zenith Labour Party (ZLP), Young Progressives Party (YPP), and several others continue to operate in isolation. Despite shared criticisms of the ruling government and overlapping manifestos, they often compete against, not alongside, each other, ultimately handing the advantage to the status quo. This disunity must stop.
The Urgency of a National Political Realignment
The hardship in Nigeria is no longer abstract; it is deeply personal and widespread. According to recent figures from the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), over 133 million (63%) Nigerians live in multidimensional poverty. Inflation has climbed to record highs, with food inflation peaking above 35%. Insecurity, once limited to the North-East, has spread nationwide, manifesting as banditry, kidnapping, communal clashes, and attacks on farmers. The education and health sectors are gasping for survival. Meanwhile, the confidence in the government to provide solutions is rapidly eroding.
This situation requires a new political awakening. Nigerians are not short of options; they are short of unified alternatives. A fragmented opposition is a gift to a poorly performing ruling party. As seen in the 2023 general elections, where millions yearned for change, the division among opposition figures and parties meant that the vote was split across different camps and the process couldn’t be monitored, diluting the collective strength of those seeking reform.
What the Opposition Must Learn from Global and Local History
Around the world, opposition unity has been a catalyst for political transformation. In Kenya, the 2002 defeat of the long-ruling KANU party was only possible after opposition forces rallied under the National Rainbow Coalition (NARC). The coalition offered a united front, a single presidential candidate, and a common vision to end dictatorship and promote reform.
In Malaysia, after decades of dominance by Barisan Nasional, the opposition regrouped under the Pakatan Harapan alliance. Despite differences in ideology, they put aside personal interests to win the 9 May 2018 general election. That singular act of unity broke a political dynasty and gave Malaysians a fresh start.
In South Africa, the African National Congress (ANC) successfully led the anti-apartheid struggle by uniting various resistance groups, including labour unions and civic organisations, under one liberation agenda. The ANC’s efforts included peaceful protests, strikes, and later, armed resistance through its military wing, Umkhonto we Sizwe, to challenge the apartheid regime.
Even Nigeria is not without precedent. In 2013, four major opposition parties -the ACN, CPC, ANPP, and a faction of APGA- merged to form the All Progressives Congress (APC). Despite ideological differences, they were bound by a shared dissatisfaction with the PDP and a desire to redirect Nigeria’s political trajectory. Their merger brought about a seismic shift in Nigerian politics, leading to the first democratic defeat of an incumbent president in 2015.
If opposition leaders could unite for power in 2013, why can’t they now unite for the people?
What Unity Must Look Like in 2026 and Beyond
1. A National Unity Coalition: Beyond mergers, the opposition must form a credible coalition that can mobilise across all six geopolitical zones. This coalition must feature a mix of political experience, technocratic expertise, youth engagement, and regional representation.
2. Consensus Candidates, Not Conflicting Aspirations: In future elections, whether gubernatorial, legislative, or presidential, opposition parties must be pragmatic. Fielding multiple candidates against a well-entrenched incumbent is political suicide. Where primaries are necessary, they should be consensus-driven and strategic, not divisive.
3. A Unified Policy Framework: It is no longer enough to oppose the ruling party without a clear alternative. The coalition must develop a comprehensive and realistic policy agenda that prioritises economic revival, national security, education reform, job creation, healthcare investment, and transparent governance.
4. Collaboration with Civil Society and the Diaspora: Real change goes beyond political party structures. The coalition must align with trade unions, professional associations, students, market women, religious leaders, and the vibrant Nigerian diaspora community. These groups represent constituencies with both moral and electoral capital.
5. People-Centred Campaigning: The focus must shift from personalities to the people. Politicians must re-earn the trust of Nigerians by campaigning on issue-based platforms and delivering post-election accountability.
A Call to Courage, Sacrifice and Statesmanship
True leadership requires sacrifice. Opposition party leaders must be willing to set aside personal ambitions in favour of collective impact. The politics of ego, tribalism, and short-term interests must be abandoned. A new Nigeria is possible, but not with old habits.
The Nigerian masses are resilient, but they are also exhausted. They have carried the burden of failed promises, economic stagnation, and insecurity for far too long. What they need now is not more political slogans, but visible action, a united opposition that listens, learns, and leads with integrity.
If the PDP, LP, SDP, NNPP, ADC, ADP, ZLP, YPP, and others can come together, not only to contest elections but to reshape the nation’s destiny, they will be remembered as patriots. If not, they risk becoming accomplices to the very suffering they claim to oppose.
History beckons. Will the opposition answer the call?
