The opposition’s bid to forge a common front against President Bola Tinubu in the 2027 presidential election faces an immediate test today as two parties confirmed their attendance at a proposed unity summit in Abuja while the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) rejected the gathering.
The Social Democratic Party (SDP) and the Peoples Redemption Party (PRP) are expected at the meeting convened by the G-100, a political pressure group led by former Director-General of the Progressives Governors Forum, Salihu Lukman. The PDP, however, said it was neither aware of the summit nor part of any alliance talks outside its own structures.
The gathering, scheduled for the Shehu Musa Yar’Adua Centre, is intended to explore practical cooperation among opposition parties and political actors seeking to challenge the All Progressives Congress at the 2027 poll.
The disagreement over participation highlights one of the central difficulties facing efforts to build a united opposition: parties that share an interest in defeating the ruling party still have separate structures, candidates and political calculations.
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Confirming the SDP’s participation, its National Publicity Secretary, Rufus Aiyenigba, said the party’s presidential candidate, Prince Adewole Adebayo, and its national leadership would attend.
“Our national leadership and presidential candidate, Prince Adewole Adebayo, will participate in the Summit of Nigerian Opposition Political Parties under the auspices of the G-100,” Aiyenigba said.
He added that the meeting could provide a platform for opposition groups to identify areas where their interests coincide and develop mechanisms for coordination ahead of the election.
The PRP also confirmed its attendance. Its National Publicity Secretary, Bello Ishaq, told The PUNCH in a brief telephone conversation: “We are attending.”
The PDP took a sharply different position. Its National Caretaker Committee spokesman, Jungudo Mohammed, said the party had no knowledge of the proposed gathering.
“The PDP is not aware of any gathering in the name of opposition summit.
“We are also not in any planned arrangement with any political party for any possible alliance. Any opposition discussion where the PDP is not party to is dead on arrival,” Mohammed said.
The G-100 acknowledged that opposition parties had competing ambitions, but said the summit was not designed to force them to surrender their identities or presidential aspirations. Rather, the group wants discussions to focus on areas where cooperation could be achieved.
Lukman’s group said previous elections had shown how multiple opposition candidates could divide votes and resources, potentially benefiting an incumbent party.
It also cautioned against turning the Abuja meeting into another struggle for influence among opposition leaders. The group said its immediate objective was to create a structure for dialogue and coordination.
The challenge is particularly significant because some opposition presidential candidates are reportedly unwilling to withdraw in favour of a consensus candidate, making a single-ticket arrangement difficult to achieve.
The G-100 nevertheless maintained that the opposition could offer Nigerians a credible alternative if its leaders found common ground despite their competing interests.
Representatives of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) and Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) could not be reached for their positions on the summit as of the time of filing the report.
