The convener of the G100 political pressure group, Salihu Lukman, has said opposition parties seeking to challenge President Bola Tinubu in the 2027 presidential election may announce a consensus candidate only days before the polls.
Lukman disclosed this during an interview on Channels Television’s Hard Copy, expressing confidence that negotiations among opposition leaders would eventually produce a single candidate to contest against the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
According to him, discussions aimed at uniting opposition parties have progressed beyond the six political parties initially involved in the initiative, with efforts continuing to bring additional parties into the proposed alliance.
Lukman said the announcement could come months, weeks or even a few days before the election, depending on the progress of negotiations.
He expressed confidence that the participating parties and their candidates were committed to reaching an agreement and would eventually communicate their decision to Nigerians.
The initiative is intended to prevent opposition votes from being divided among multiple presidential candidates, a situation that could strengthen the incumbent’s chances of victory.
Opposition Unity Efforts Expand
The G100 emerged from efforts to build a united opposition front following an opposition summit in Ibadan in April 2026, where participants advocated a common presidential candidate for the 2027 election.
Lukman explained that the process had since moved beyond the pressure group, with political parties and their presidential candidates taking ownership of negotiations.
He said the transition was necessary to build trust among the participating parties and ensure that decisions about the proposed alliance were made by those directly involved in the electoral contest.
According to him, the parties had agreed to establish five working groups at a meeting held on August 31, including one responsible for developing a framework for selecting a consensus candidate.
Each participating party would nominate representatives to the process through its leadership or presidential candidate.
Lukman identified mutual distrust among opposition leaders and candidates as one of the biggest obstacles to reaching an agreement.
He argued that the parties would need to place the broader national interest above individual ambitions if they hoped to build a viable coalition capable of defeating the APC.
Atiku, Obi Supporters Face Coalition Challenge
The proposed alliance could involve political figures and supporters associated with former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar, former Labour Party presidential candidate Peter Obi and the Kwankwasiyya political movement, among others.
However, bringing these political interests together could prove difficult because of differences in party affiliation, policy priorities, leadership ambitions and the question of which candidate should emerge as the coalition’s flag-bearer.
Lukman warned that refusing to compromise could undermine the opposition’s objective.
He also cited concerns about vote splitting, arguing that multiple opposition candidates could divide the electorate’s support and make it more difficult for any one of them to defeat the incumbent.
The negotiations are therefore expected to address not only the selection of a candidate but also the terms under which the participating parties would work together.
Parties May Agree on a Common Policy Programme
Lukman said the proposed alliance would not necessarily require participating parties to merge their manifestos.
Instead, he explained that the objective was to develop a minimum programme of action that any candidate emerging from the arrangement would commit to implementing if elected.
Such an agreement could help reduce disagreements over policy after the selection of a consensus candidate and provide a common framework for the coalition’s campaign.
He maintained that the eventual candidate could emerge under the platform of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), another participating party or a new party established through an alliance.
Nevertheless, important questions remain about the timing of the announcement, the criteria for selecting the candidate and whether supporters of unsuccessful aspirants would accept the outcome.
The proposed coalition’s success will ultimately depend on whether its leaders can reconcile their competing interests and convert negotiations into a credible electoral arrangement.
As the 2027 election approaches, the opposition’s ability to agree on a common candidate could become one of the most consequential factors shaping the presidential contest.