Opposition leaders, including former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar, former Anambra State Governor Peter Obi and former Cross River State Governor Donald Duke, are reportedly making progress towards a consensus arrangement to challenge President Bola Tinubu in the 2027 presidential election.

 

The G100 coalition, which is spearheading the negotiations, said discussions with participating political parties and presidential hopefuls had yielded encouraging results as efforts intensify to unite the opposition behind a single candidate.

 

The National Chairman of the Social Democratic Party (SDP), Prof. Sadiq Umar Abubakar Gombe, disclosed this on Wednesday in Abuja during the inauguration of the coalition’s legal and media committees.

 

Gombe said the coalition had been engaging leaders of the participating parties and leading presidential aspirants to secure their commitment to a common candidate capable of defeating the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).

 

“Our ambition is to present a candidate that can defeat APC and form the next government. And we’re making very good progress,” he said.

 

The G100 coalition comprises the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Peoples Redemption Party (PRP), Social Democratic Party (SDP), Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and Allied Peoples Movement (APM).

 

National chairmen and representatives of some of the participating parties attended the meeting, where the committees were inaugurated to provide a formal structure for the negotiations and coordinate the coalition’s activities.

 

According to Gombe, the responses received from the political parties and presidential hopefuls have strengthened the coalition’s confidence that outstanding issues can be resolved before the 2027 general election.

 

He described the inauguration of the committees as a transition from preliminary discussions to a more organised process aimed at building a united opposition platform.

 

“Today, we take a deliberate step from intention to structure. The work of this coalition will be judged not only by the strength of our convictions, but by the discipline, precision and unity with which we carry it out,” he said.

 

G100 Yet to Agree on Presidential Candidate

Despite the reported progress, the coalition has yet to announce how it intends to select its consensus presidential candidate from among the opposition figures seeking the party ticket.

 

It also remains uncertain whether all the participating parties and presidential hopefuls will accept the eventual choice and mobilise their supporters behind a single candidate.

 

The negotiations are expected to address the selection process, the terms of cooperation among the parties and measures to sustain the alliance throughout the electioneering period.

 

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The legal committee, comprising national legal advisers and other senior legal representatives of the participating parties, will review proposed agreements and identify potential legal challenges that could undermine the coalition.

 

Its responsibilities also include examining the actions of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in relation to relevant Supreme Court judgments, vetting working-group documents, recommending safeguards and establishing mechanisms for resolving disputes before any agreement is adopted.

 

Gombe cautioned members against overlooking legal details that could jeopardise the negotiations.

 

“We cannot afford surprises. A single overlooked clause can undo months of honest negotiation,” he said, urging committee members to demonstrate thoroughness, candour and independent judgment.

 

Media Committee to Coordinate Opposition Messaging

The media and publicity committee is expected to coordinate the coalition’s public communication, joint media engagements and official announcements.

 

The committee comprises national publicity secretaries and spokespersons of the participating parties’ presidential campaign councils.

 

Its duties include establishing procedures for approving joint statements, ensuring consistency in public messaging and consulting the legal committee on sensitive constitutional and legal matters.

 

The coalition hopes the arrangement will help prevent conflicting public statements and strengthen communication among the participating parties as negotiations continue.

 

Insecurity, Economic Hardship Drive Opposition Push

Beyond the political negotiations, Gombe said the coalition was responding to growing concerns over Nigeria’s economic and security challenges.

 

He identified persistent insecurity, rising living costs, unemployment and declining purchasing power as major issues affecting Nigerians, arguing that the Tinubu administration must remain accountable for its policies and performance.

 

The opposition alliance is seeking to establish a common platform capable of mounting a serious challenge to the APC in 2027, when Tinubu is expected to seek re-election for another four-year term.

 

However, the success of the initiative will depend largely on whether the participating parties can resolve disagreements over the presidential ticket and persuade their respective candidates to support a common flag bearer.

 

For now, the G100 has reported progress in its consultations, but the identity of its preferred presidential candidate and the formula for selecting that candidate remain unresolved publicly.

 

The newly inaugurated legal and media committees are expected to help formalise the coalition’s agreements, manage potential disputes and coordinate its public messaging as discussions continue ahead of the 2027 elections.