David Mark, the National Chairman of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), went to the National Summit of Opposition Political Party Leaders in Ibadan, the capital of Oyo State, on Saturday.
The former Senate President said in his speech that the meeting is a response to the call to save Nigeria.
He said that the problems of insecurity in Nigeria are getting worse and that something needs to be done quickly to stop the trend.
The ADC chairman said that even though crime is on the rise, the government, whose main job is to protect the people, acts like nothing is wrong.
Mark said that President Bola Tinubu’s current government was trying to weaken and destroy the opposition as part of a political strategy.
He did, however, say that the opposition would not give up on trying to save Nigeria, even though there are problems and not much time left before the 2027 election.
He also said that Nigerians no longer trust the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) because of Professor Joash Amupitan’s leadership.
Mark ended by saying that the people’s will will win out if the opposition stands together.
Here is the whole thing he said.
1. We are all here today because our country needs us to do our patriotic duty. I pray that history will remember us. When the country cried out for help, we answered. When we heard the pain of mothers who had just buried their children killed by bandits, we answered. When we saw the silent pain of fathers and husbands who watched their daughters and wives raped by terrorists, we answered. When workers who were struggling couldn’t afford to get to work, we answered. When children went to bed hungry, we answered. When proud, hardworking citizens became beggars, we answered. What did we do, history will ask? What part did we play? Everyone here and millions of others who are with us but not here in person will say yes.
2. The call to save Nigeria is not just a slogan for the opposition. Everyone can see the proof. Insecurity has become a big part of daily life all over our country. Nigeria is facing a historic challenge. There is a long-lasting insurgency and terrorism that could have been stopped, as well as constant banditry and mass kidnappings. Violent crimes are also on the rise in our cities.
3. The numbers are scary. Nigeria had more than 12,000 deaths related to conflict in 2025 alone. This number is higher than the total number of people who are currently fighting in countries like Syria, Iraq, and Yemen. Nigeria is now the fourth most dangerous country in the world for terrorism. The government keeps making claims and acting tough, but the situation keeps getting worse. In 2025, the number of people who died in terrorist attacks around the world went down by 28%, but in Nigeria it went up by 46%. Every day, at least 15 Nigerians are killed and 19 are kidnapped. In the first three months of this year, about 1,400 Nigerians have been killed or taken in different parts of the country. Communities are torn apart, families are broken up, and people’s jobs are lost. Freedom has been replaced by fear, and hope has been replaced by doubt.
4. But the government, whose main job is to keep the people safe, acts like nothing is wrong, which is shocking. We are a country that is always in mourning, a country that buries its people too often, and a country that needs leaders and protection. The APC-led government acts like everything is fine, even though these murders and kidnappings keep happening. The government is too busy with politics and elections to do anything else.
5. The main idea behind democracy is to give people a choice. The people have the right to vote out a government that has failed, as this one has so badly. But based on what we’ve seen lately, the ruling party has done everything it can to keep the people of Nigeria from having this right to look for another option. In the last three years, this government has made major attacks on the opposition parties in an effort to take away people’s right to vote. They want to force Nigeria to become a one-party state. More and more, institutions that should protect our freedom and the will of the people are being attacked. The right of citizens to choose their leaders freely is being taken away. Democratic institutions are losing their independence. It is getting harder and harder to say that what we have now is a fully functioning democracy in both form and substance.
6. We have to rescue Nigeria; it’s our mission. When we, as members of the opposition, say that our only goal is to save Nigeria, we are not being dramatic or making things up. What we have to do is nothing less than a national rescue mission. It is a mission that was born out of necessity, driven by the suffering of our people, and pushed by the urgency of the moment.
7. So, I need to stress that this duty is much more important than political bias, personal interest, or personal ambition. The survival and restoration of our country is more important than any one of us. Everyone in the opposition has to give something up. I am sure that no one opposition political party, no matter how strong, can stand up to a system that is so deeply rooted and so determined to keep power at all costs. We are dealing with a government that has shown, through both words and actions, that it is willing to weaken democratic institutions and silence dissenting voices. We shouldn’t make a mistake about this. The shift toward a one-party state is real. This has never happened in this country before, and it won’t happen in our lifetime.
8. The government says that it is not their job to help the opposition grow. You are right. And we don’t want any favors from them. They call what they are doing to other political parties “strategy.” I call it tyranny. But is it their job to destroy the opposition, as they have tried to do? Is it possible to do what they are doing and still say they believe in democracy or are a democrat? The answer is definitely NO.
9. We can’t have any doubts. The groups that have tried to weaken our political parties will not stop. They are already plotting how to weaken us even more, split us up, and cause trouble among us as we speak. But we must remember where the rains first hit us on our journey. We need to remember how we got here. We need to remember what got us here. We need to be clear that we can’t face the future as separate groups. We need to work together to save our country. Because of these things, we need to be honest and fair in this meeting and in our business dealings. We need to be honest with each other and show all of our cards. There can’t be any hidden agendas, last-minute surprises, or room for doubt. The most important thing for the success of our group effort may be our ability to build and keep trust.
10. We are racing against time and have a short window of time to work. Because of how urgent our situation is, we can’t keep making the same mistakes. We need to be willing to rise above narrow feelings and say no to petty parochialism, which has historically split the opposition in this country. Now is the time to change the story of how coalitions are made in Nigeria.
11. The APC government has a record of failure. What is left behind is a strong reliance on propaganda and a constant attack on voices that disagree. But we won’t get into a fight over propaganda. We won’t trade truth for noise. The fact that they rely on propaganda shows that they have a bigger problem: they can’t take responsibility and they don’t have any integrity. People in Nigeria are watching, and they can see through the lies and the smoke. They see a government that has not lived up to their expectations and has not cared about their pain.
12. This is why we have always said that the fight we are in is no longer a normal political fight. The Nigerian people and the ruling party APC are in this contest. APC is up against the mother who just buried her child, the father who works hard but can’t feed his family, the young graduate who sees no future, and the pensioner who has been left alone after decades of service. We are with the people. So, God is on our side.
13. The recent changes in the economic management team are an implicit admission of failure. You don’t change leaders when a system is working well. Changing the cabinet at this late hour won’t change what the people think.
14. Ladies and gentlemen, as I finish, I want to take this chance to stress once more that the integrity and neutrality of our electoral institutions are what make our democracy credible. If the referee clearly and proudly wears the jersey of one of the teams in a match he is supposed to be officiating, it makes the whole process less legitimate. In this case, Nigerians no longer trust the electoral body, INEC. INEC is no longer an unbiased referee. And if nothing changes, Professor Joash Ojo Amupitan is going to run the most untrustworthy election in Nigerian history. It’s better to let your mind run wild with the effects.
15. Leaders of our parties, let it be known loud and clear that we did not waver when Nigeria was at a crucial point in its history and was on the verge of uncertainty. We didn’t let our own goals get in the way of what Nigerians wanted, which was a better life. We didn’t give in to the urge to be petty or to pursue our own goals. We chose to be together instead of apart, to give up our own needs for the sake of others, and to put our country first.
16. This summit should be remembered as the time when everything changed. Let this be the start of a strong movement that will bring back the respect for our democracy, keep our people safe, and rebuild the foundations of our country.
17. I am very sure that if we stand together with conviction, discipline, and honesty, no force will be able to stop the will of the Nigerian people. We hope that history will remember us for our bravery, our sacrifices, and our determination to protect our democracy and our country. May it be known that when Nigeria called, we answered without hesitation, and when our people needed us, we did not fail them.
18. And may God bless Nigeria as a whole.
Hon. Dr. Philip “Okanga” Agbese, a transformative leader in Enone. Discover his achievements, community projects, and vision for 2027
