Efforts by opposition parties to forge a common political platform ahead of the 2027 general elections have recorded significant progress, convener of the G-100 opposition coalition, Mallam Salihu Lukman, has declared.
Lukman said consultations among opposition leaders and presidential contenders had advanced beyond the expectations of the organisers, raising hopes of greater cooperation among parties seeking to challenge President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in the next presidential election.
He disclosed this during an interview on Channels Television’s Hard Copy, describing the willingness of party leaders and presidential candidates to engage in discussions as a significant step towards building a coordinated opposition.
According to him, the ongoing consultations are aimed at translating resolutions reached at previous meetings into practical arrangements for cooperation.
“The consultations represent a practical step towards giving effect to those resolutions,” Lukman said.
He explained that the discussions would allow party leaders and presidential candidates to examine the proposed framework, identify areas of agreement and determine how to pursue a common democratic agenda.
The initiative followed the G-100 Opposition Summit, which called for sustained dialogue and stronger collaboration among opposition parties to protect multiparty democracy and address the challenges confronting Nigerians.
Six Parties in Talks
The consultations involve national chairmen and secretaries of six political parties: the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Allied Peoples Movement (APM), Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Social Democratic Party (SDP), Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and Peoples Redemption Party (PRP).
Prominent figures associated with the wider consultation process include former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar of the ADC, Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde of the APM, former Anambra State Governor Peter Obi of the NDC, Prince Adewole Adebayo of the SDP and former Cross River State Governor Donald Duke of the PRP.
Lukman insisted that the coalition-building initiative was not primarily about individual politicians or their presidential ambitions but about finding collective political responses to Nigeria’s challenges.
He urged opposition leaders to look beyond party affiliations and personal interests in pursuit of what he described as a common national objective.
“At the heart of this process is the conviction that the challenges confronting Nigeria demand serious engagement across party lines,” he said.
Lukman added that Nigerians deserved political leaders who would prioritise the country’s future, citizens’ welfare and electoral credibility over narrow political interests.
Consensus Candidate Remains Unresolved
Despite the progress reported by the organisers, the opposition parties have yet to announce a final agreement on a consensus presidential candidate or the platform through which they would contest the 2027 election.
The choice of a presidential flag bearer remains one of the major issues facing the negotiations, particularly given the political influence and support bases of Atiku and Obi, who were among the leading opposition contenders in the 2023 presidential election.
The parties are also expected to deliberate on the structure, terms and practical arrangements for their proposed cooperation before reaching a definitive agreement.
Lukman said further engagements would build on the resolutions of the G-100 summit, stressing that consultations remained ongoing.
“The consultations remain ongoing. Further engagements will build on the G-100 resolutions and the commitment to an opposition that is organised, responsible and capable of working together in the national interest,” he stated.
He assured Nigerians that the organisers would communicate substantive decisions and agreed next steps as discussions progressed.
For now, he said, the priority was to sustain dialogue, strengthen mutual understanding among the participating parties and establish a workable framework for cooperation ahead of the 2027 general elections.
