Uncertainty has continued to surround efforts to field a single opposition presidential candidate ahead of the 2027 general election, with major political parties and groups taking different positions on the proposed arrangement.
The development followed a call by the Group of 100 Nigerians, led by former All Progressives Congress chieftain, Salisu Lukman, for opposition leaders and presidential candidates to unite and present a common candidate against President Bola Tinubu.
The G-100 has invited former Vice President Atiku Abubakar of the African Democratic Congress, Peter Obi of the Nigeria Democratic Congress, their respective running mates, Rotimi Amaechi and Rabiu Kwankwaso, and other opposition figures to an opposition summit scheduled for August 18 in Abuja.
The group believes that a divided opposition, regardless of its numerical strength, would struggle to defeat the APC and that a single candidate would help consolidate opposition votes.
However, responses from the parties and political movements expected to participate suggest that agreeing on a common candidate could prove difficult.
Atiku’s camp has welcomed the initiative but stopped short of confirming his attendance at the summit.
The former vice-president’s Senior Special Assistant on Public Communication, Phrank Shaibu, told The PUNCH that Atiku supported genuine efforts to strengthen the opposition and provide Nigerians with an alternative to the Tinubu administration.
He said Atiku’s participation in the August 18 summit would be communicated after his schedule and participation had been finalised.
“His Excellency Atiku Abubakar welcomes every genuine initiative aimed at strengthening democratic opposition and providing Nigerians with a credible alternative to the Tinubu administration,” Shaibu said.
He added that Atiku believed the opposition needed to put national interest above individual and partisan interests, while insisting that any process for building a coalition must be transparent, inclusive and democratic.
On the possibility of a single candidate, Shaibu said Atiku was consulting political leaders and stakeholders across the opposition.
He said the consultations were aimed at strengthening the opposition, protecting democracy and presenting Nigerians with a credible alternative.
“The objective is bigger than any individual,” he said, adding that the outcome of the consultations would be made public “at the appropriate time.”
Obi yet to decide
The Obidient Movement, which backs Obi, confirmed that an invitation had been extended to the former Anambra State governor for the summit but said the final decision rested with him.
National Coordinator of the movement, Tanko Yunusa, said the invitation had been received, although he could not confirm whether Obi would attend.
“We agree that it is very good for everyone in the opposition to come together under one umbrella,” Yunusa said.
He also said he could not confirm whether Atiku had separately contacted Obi over the proposed meeting.
Labour Party wants coalition to adopt its platform
The Labour Party welcomed the idea of opposition cooperation but argued that any coalition seeking to defeat the APC should be built around its existing structure rather than create another political platform.
The party’s National Publicity Secretary, Ken Asogwa, said the LP recognised the need for broad-based cooperation among opposition forces but maintained that it remained the strongest platform for a presidential contest.
According to Asogwa, the party’s institutional links with the Nigeria Labour Congress and the Trade Union Congress give it an organisational advantage.
“The Labour Party is unique among all political parties because the NLC and the TUC are its institutional members,” he said.
He argued that the relationship gives the party access to a nationwide network of serving and retired civil servants.
Asogwa said the party’s structure extended from the national level to polling units, wards, local government areas and communities.
He consequently called on individuals, groups and political movements seeking a formidable opposition alliance to collapse their structures into the Labour Party.
“The task before the opposition is not to reinvent the wheel but to unite behind the most viable platform. That platform is the Labour Party,” he said.
DLA cautious over single candidate
The Democratic Leadership Alliance adopted a more cautious position, saying it supported opposition cooperation but was not currently negotiating with the G-100 or any political party on adopting a single presidential candidate.
The party’s Deputy National Publicity Secretary, Judith Aguenu, said the DLA appreciated the call for opposition forces to close ranks ahead of 2027 but was focused on strengthening its own platform.
She said the party remained open to discussions with opposition parties, political movements and civil society organisations committed to accountable and people-oriented governance.
“For us, the conversation should go beyond merely producing a single candidate. It must be about building a credible political platform, agreeing on a clear vision for Nigeria, and presenting Nigerians with a leadership alternative they can trust,” Aguenu said.
CUPP backs consensus candidate
The Coalition of United Political Parties, however, expressed support for the summit and the broader push for opposition unity.
Its spokesperson, Agu Bryan, said the coalition had consistently supported the possibility of a single opposition presidential candidate where practicable.
He said CUPP was prepared to support a consensus candidate if major opposition contenders, including Atiku and Obi, reached a mutually acceptable agreement in the national interest.
“We believe that a united opposition, anchored on a credible candidacy and a coherent alternative policy platform, stands a stronger chance of providing Nigerians with a viable democratic alternative to the Tinubu-led administration,” Bryan said.
He, however, stressed that opposition unity must be accompanied by demands for free, fair, transparent and credible elections.
Bryan said CUPP welcomed the August 18 summit and was ready to engage with credible initiatives aimed at building a stronger and more united opposition ahead of 2027.
Who leads the coalition?
The growing divergence among the opposition groups highlights the biggest challenge facing the proposed alliance: while many agree on the need for cooperation, there is no clear consensus on who should lead it or which political platform should carry the coalition.
Atiku, Obi and Kwankwaso command distinct political constituencies, while the Labour Party and other emerging opposition platforms are also working to strengthen their structures ahead of the election.
The August 18 summit is therefore expected to be an early test of whether the various opposition tendencies can move beyond individual and party interests and agree on a common strategy.
For the G-100, a single presidential candidate is necessary to prevent the opposition vote from being divided.
But the positions already emerging suggest that agreeing on the candidate, structure and leadership of such a coalition may be far more difficult than agreeing on the need for opposition cooperation.
With the 2027 election still months away, there is time for negotiations. But as the August 18 summit approaches, the opposition faces a difficult task: turning calls for unity into a workable political alliance.
