The convener of the G100 political pressure group, Salihu Lukman, has disclosed that opposition parties working to challenge President Bola Tinubu in the 2027 general elections may present a consensus presidential candidate just days before the polls.

 

Lukman, a former National Vice Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), made this known during an interview on Channels Television’s Hard Copy programme.

 

He said the opposition coalition had moved beyond the initial six political parties involved in the process, adding that the parties and their presidential candidates had taken control of the negotiations.

 

According to him, the opposition leaders are committed to reaching an agreement and are taking the necessary steps to build trust among themselves before deciding on a common direction for the election.

 

“I can tell you categorically, and my confidence about that comes from what I see in the leadership of the parties: they are committed and they are working, taking all the steps necessary,” Lukman said.

 

He explained that the announcement of a consensus candidate could come a few months, several weeks or even a few days before the election.

 

“So it could be two months, some weeks to the election, or a few days to the election; they will come out and tell Nigerians this is the direction, and everybody will queue,” he added.

 

Lukman also revealed that the coalition was making efforts to bring additional political parties into the alliance, suggesting that the initiative could expand beyond its current membership.

 

He said the process had evolved from the initial efforts of the G100 group after the political parties and their candidates assumed responsibility for the negotiations.

 

According to him, the arrangement is designed to ensure that decisions are made by the parties and their candidates rather than external groups or individuals.

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“When the parties owned the process we had started and took it beyond, took it out of our hands and began to engage each other based on the need to develop the kind of confidence they need to trust one another,” he said.

 

Lukman Warns Opposition Against Division

The former APC chieftain also addressed concerns over the reluctance of supporters of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) presidential candidate, Peter Obi, the African Democratic Congress (ADC) candidate, Atiku Abubakar, and the Kwankwasiyya movement to abandon their political structures in favour of a common opposition platform.

 

He argued that maintaining rigid positions could undermine the opposition’s chances of defeating Tinubu and the APC in 2027.

 

“Taking a hardline position, a rigid position, is almost like working for the APC and the Tinubu government at this point,” Lukman stated.

 

He stressed that opposition parties needed to prioritise collective electoral success over individual political interests if they hoped to unseat the ruling party.

 

Lukman further cited a similar argument recently made by Cardinal John Onaiyekan on Channels Television, noting that opposition candidates risk weakening one another if they contest separately and divide the available votes.

 

“The arithmetic is simple: you can’t split votes five ways and expect victory in one of you,” he said.

 

The proposed alliance comes as political parties and their leading figures begin positioning themselves ahead of the 2027 presidential election, with the possibility of a consensus candidate emerging remaining a key issue in opposition discussions.

 

However, Lukman’s remarks indicate that the timing and final outcome of the negotiations remain uncertain, as the parties continue efforts to build confidence and potentially expand the coalition.