By Ghazali Ibrahim
Nigeria’s opposition parties have begun fresh negotiations to forge a common political platform and present a single presidential candidate against President Bola Tinubu and the ruling All Progressives Congress in the 2027 election.
The discussions took place on Monday at an opposition summit convened by the G-100 political pressure group at the Shehu Musa Yar’Adua Centre in Abuja.
Representatives of the African Democratic Congress, Allied Peoples Movement, Nigeria Democratic Congress, Peoples Democratic Party, Peoples Redemption Party and Social Democratic Party attended the meeting.
A major proposal at the summit was the establishment of a Government of National Competence that would operate for a single four-year transition term.
Presenting the framework, former APC chieftain and G-100 figure, Salihu Lukman, said the proposed government would be based on competence, integrity, national inclusion and fair representation.
He said the four-year arrangement should be backed by an enforceable Transition Charter to ensure that participating parties and political actors remain committed to the agreement.
The summit also began discussions on producing a single opposition presidential candidate for the 2027 election, with participants agreeing that the process should be guided by clearly defined rules rather than individual ambitions.
However, some of the leading opposition figures expected at the gathering were absent.
Former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar, Peter Obi and Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde did not attend the summit, although representatives of their respective political interests were present.
The parties are expected to work through several committees to develop proposals covering opposition unity, a national reform programme, a transition charter and a roadmap for selecting a common presidential candidate.
The G-100 initiative comes as opposition parties intensify efforts to avoid splitting the anti-APC vote in 2027, with proponents arguing that a united opposition could present a stronger challenge to the ruling party.
However, the absence of key presidential contenders and the unresolved question of who would ultimately secure the joint ticket remain major hurdles for the proposed coalition.
