Editor
The Big Tent coalition is moving from declaration to structure, with plans to back a single presidential candidate and build a grassroots network ahead of the 2027 elections.
In a press statement to members on Thursday, Prof. Pat Utomi said the Ibadan Declarations of April 25th remain the guiding framework for the group’s mission of “national renewal, responsible leadership, and the rescue of Nigeria” from economic hardship, insecurity, and institutional decline.
“The spirit, convictions, and commitments expressed in Ibadan continue to guide our collective resolve,” Utomi stated. He called on all “sincere patriotic forces” to rise above narrow interests and consolidate around a common national purpose.
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The Big Tent describes itself as a broad-based movement spanning the Labour Party, NDC, ADC, DLA, SDP and other political platforms. That diversity, Utomi said, reflects the group’s national character and urgency to present a credible alternative.
While the coalition is assembling a slate of candidates for various levels, the presidential ticket will be unified. “Let it be clearly understood that we shall support a single presidential candidate—one candidate around whom the energy, hopes, and votes of all who seek a new Nigeria can be consolidated,” he said.
Grassroots Structure Takes Priority
The immediate focus is mobilization. Utomi urged members to drive registrations on ObidientConnect.com and build three core structures: Poll Centre Marshals, iREV Use Monitors, and Campaign Coordinators.
“These structures are not optional. They are essential to the discipline, vigilance, coordination, and grassroots strength required to protect the people’s mandate,” he said.
The call comes amid what Utomi described as deliberate distractions using the judiciary and INEC, as well as attempts to sow division within opposition ranks.
Issue-Focused Campaign Roadmap
Starting next week, the Big Tent will shift to policy-focused advocacy. The first issue will be power, with Utomi questioning why supply has worsened under the current administration.
“Incumbents say they should be prevented from running if they have not fixed the power. The nightmare seems to get worse,” he said.
The two-week power focus will be followed by examinations of the jobs crisis for young people and what Utomi termed the “Ponzi economics of stabilization” driving Nigeria toward economic serfdom.
Subsequent weeks will target accountability for revenues from subsidy removal, naira devaluation, and rising oil prices linked to the Middle East conflict. The group also plans to address insecurity, Nigeria’s debt trap, reckless borrowing, and the erosion of democratic institutions.
“For every issue we will not only show how the incumbents have failed and jeopardized the prospects for the next generation, but provide operationalized, immediately implementable policy alternatives,” Utomi said.
The Stakes
The statement frames 2027 as a test of organizational discipline rather than rhetoric. “This is not the time for fatigue, hesitation, or fragmentation. It is the time for clarity, sacrifice, and organization,” Utomi said. “History will not remember us for our complaints, but for our courage to act when the nation needed us most.”
The Big Tent’s strategy signals an attempt to avoid the fragmentation that weakened opposition efforts in 2023. By committing to a single presidential candidate early and prioritizing grassroots structures like iREV monitoring, the coalition is aiming to build both electoral credibility and public trust.
Utomi closed with a direct message: “Nigeria must work. Nigeria can work. And together, we shall help make it so.”
