The opposition is set to converge on Abuja on Monday for a political summit focused on building cooperation among parties and developing a strategy to challenge President Bola Tinubu and the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) ahead of the 2027 presidential election.
The meeting, organised by the political pressure group G-100, is expected to bring together opposition parties and political actors as efforts intensify to create a stronger platform capable of confronting the APC in the next general election.
The summit is taking place amid disagreements within the opposition over the proposed alliance, including questions about the structure of any coalition and whether the various presidential aspirants would be willing to support a single consensus candidate.
The Social Democratic Party (SDP) and the Peoples Redemption Party (PRP) have confirmed that they will participate in the meeting, while the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has distanced itself from the initiative.
The G-100, led by former Director-General of the Progressives Governors Forum, Salihu Lukman, believes that opposition parties could find it difficult to defeat an incumbent government if they continue to approach the 2027 election separately.
In a statement issued on Sunday ahead of the summit, the group appealed to opposition leaders to set aside their differences and use the meeting to begin developing a workable framework for cooperation.
“Tomorrow’s summit comes at an important moment for Nigeria’s democracy.
“Across the country, millions of Nigerians are looking to the opposition not merely to criticise the government of the day, but to demonstrate the maturity, discipline and sense of national purpose required to offer a credible alternative,” the statement signed by Lukman said.
The group acknowledged that the parties involved have different political histories, structures and ambitions, but argued that such differences should not prevent them from finding areas where they can work together.
“The G-100 recognises that every political party has its own history, identity, ambitions and legitimate interests. Cooperation does not require any party to surrender these. Nor does it require political leaders to abandon their aspirations.
“It simply requires the wisdom to recognise that there are moments when what unites us must become more important than what separates us,” it said.
According to the group, previous elections have shown that a divided opposition can inadvertently strengthen an incumbent by splitting votes, resources and political support among several candidates.
“The experience of elections in Nigeria and elsewhere has repeatedly demonstrated that a divided opposition often strengthens the incumbent.
“When parties competing for the same broad constituency fragment their energies, resources and votes, they risk turning their differences into an unintended advantage for those they seek to replace.
“Division is a choice. Cooperation must now become a strategy,” the G-100 said.
The SDP has indicated that it is ready to participate in efforts aimed at producing an alternative political direction for Nigeria.
The party’s National Publicity Secretary, Rufus Aiyenigba, confirmed that its presidential candidate, Prince Adewole Adebayo, alongside the national leadership of the party, would attend the summit at the Shehu Musa Yar’Adua Centre in Abuja.
“The SDP is very much part of the G-100 initiative and is occupying a frontline position in the scheme of things of the national rescue movement.
“The party is very much committed to and will continue to work with true democrats and patriots who truly mean well for Nigeria,” Aiyenigba said.
He added that the meeting would provide an opportunity for opposition groups to examine practical ways of coordinating their activities ahead of the 2027 elections.
The PRP also confirmed its attendance, with its National Publicity Secretary, Bello Ishaq, simply stating, “We are attending.”
However, the PDP has rejected any suggestion that it is part of the planned gathering or currently involved in discussions over an opposition alliance outside its own structures.
The spokesman of the party’s National Caretaker Committee, Jungudo Mohammed, said the PDP was not aware of the summit.
“The PDP is not aware of any gathering in the name of opposition summit,” Mohammed said.
“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.”
Despite the PDP’s position, the G-100 said the purpose of Monday’s meeting was not to compel political parties to surrender their identities, structures or individual ambitions.
Rather, the organisers said they wanted to establish a platform through which opposition parties could engage with one another, coordinate their activities and work towards resolving areas of disagreement.
“Tomorrow’s (Monday) summit provides an opportunity to begin building practical mechanisms for dialogue, coordination and cooperation, while respecting the identities and structures of participating parties,” the group said.
The G-100 also appealed to participants to approach the discussions with an open mind, warning that disagreements among politicians should not be allowed to prevent the emergence of a credible alternative.
“There will be disagreements, competing ambitions and difficult conversations. These are natural in politics. But none should prevent us from recognising the greater danger of allowing our differences to deny Nigerians a credible alternative,” it said.
The organisers further cautioned opposition politicians against turning the summit into another battle for influence or supremacy.
“Tomorrow (Monday) is not about declaring winners or losers within the opposition. It is about beginning the work of ensuring that Nigerian democracy wins.
“Alone, each opposition party can make its case. Together, the opposition can change the course of the country,” the group added.
The group said the opposition must recognise the opportunity before it and focus on the interests of Nigerians rather than the ambitions of individual politicians.
“As we gather tomorrow (Monday) at the Shehu Musa Yar’Adua Centre in Abuja, the G-100 urges every opposition leader to remember the millions of Nigerians whose hopes extend beyond the fortunes of any single party or politician.
“History has presented the opposition with an opportunity. We must be wise enough not to waste it,” it counselled.
