Human rights activist, Aisha Yesufu, has called on the opposition political parties to unify under the Nigeria Democratic Congress, NDC, presidential candidate, Peter Obi, ahead of the 2027 general elections.

Yesufu made the call in a statement posted on her verified X handle on Wednesday, saying such a move does not mean surrendering the various political parties.

She said that 2027 will not be won by the party with the loudest supporters but by the side that learns to assemble itself, stressing that Obi is not a candidate of one camp but a candidate with the strongest record on the ballot.

According to her, President Bola Tinubu was declared winner of the 2023 general elections with 36 percent of votes, noting that the opposition took the rest.

She called on the opposition to form a formidable force, stressing that the math has never been a problem but has favoured the opposition.

The co-convener of the BringBackOurGirls Movement lamented the split among the opposition.

“Peter Obi is not the candidate of one camp. Unifying under him is not surrender. It is strategy. And unifying does not mean dissolving your party, your platform, or your principles. 

“If you are a party operative, an organiser, a fundraiser, a strategist sitting inside one of the opposition parties, we have a coordination channel for you.

“Not to replace what you are doing, but to connect it. We have to be unified by something stronger,” she wrote.

The governorship candidate of the Zenith Labour Party, ZLP,  in Osun State, Olufemi Adesuyi, has called on security agencies to intensify efforts aimed at preventing further political violence ahead of the August 15 governorship election.

Adesuyi made the appeal in a statement issued in Osogbo on Wednesday, where he expressed concern over the recent increase in violent incidents across the state and urged law enforcement authorities to act decisively against perpetrators.

He urged the Nigeria Police Force and other security agencies operating in Osun to be proactive in maintaining law and order during the election period.

According to him, “those involved in violent acts should be arrested and prosecuted regardless of their political affiliations.”

The ZLP candidate said the growing trend of killings and politically linked violence posed a threat to public safety and democratic governance in the state.

He warned that allowing such incidents to continue unchecked could affect the credibility of the forthcoming governorship poll.

Adesuyi stated, “The trend of these killings, if left unchecked, will threaten the peace and democratic values in this state. That will definitely affect the credibility of the forthcoming August 15 gubernatorial election.”

He added that politics should remain a contest of ideas and service rather than a struggle that endangers lives.

“We must not allow desperation to turn our democracy into a bloodbath. The rate at which political violence is spreading in Osun is worrisome. No position, no matter how highly placed, is worth wasting human blood for,” he said.

The governorship hopeful also appealed to politicians across party lines to conduct their campaigns peacefully and place the interest of Osun State above partisan considerations.

He said, “politicians must understand that power is transient. You cannot achieve your ambition by shedding the blood of innocent people.

“Let us campaign with decorum, respect our opponents, and allow the people to decide freely.”

Calling for restraint before, during and after the election, Adesuyi stressed that political differences should not lead to hostility among residents.

“Election is not war. Let us conduct ourselves peacefully, responsibly, and with respect for one another before, during, and after the election. Political differences should never make us enemies,” he said.

He encouraged eligible voters not to be discouraged by security concerns but to participate actively in the electoral process, while also seeking support for his governorship ambition.

The appeal comes amid heightened concern over violent crimes in Osun State, which recently prompted a visit by the Inspector-General of Police, Olatunji Disu. 

Mr Darlington Orji, the immediate past Senior Special Assistant to Rivers State Governor Siminalayi Fubara alongside former Commissioner for Transport, Hon. Collins Onunwo has reportedly joined the Rainbow Coalition in the state.

DAILY POST reports that the Rainbow Coalition is a bipartisan political alliance spearheaded by Federal Capital Territory, FCT Minister Nyesom Wike aiming at President Bola Tinubu’s re-election in 2027.

Recall that the governor had prior to the All Progressives Congress, APC primary election, announced his withdrawal from the governorship race.

The governor’s decision paved the way for the emergence of a House of Representatives Member, Kingsley Chinda, as APC governorship candidate.

The development, however, unsettled some of the governor’s allies, who claimed to have been fighting for him since the beginning of the protracted political crisis in the state.

Darlington in a post on his Facebook page, while sharing photos of himself and other members of the coalition, said he has “returned home to my family”.