A coalition of concerned Nigerians under the umbrella of G100 has held initial consultations with Atiku Abubakar of the African Democratic Congress (ADC); Peter Obi and Rabiu Kwankwaso of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC); Seyi Makinde’s Allied Peoples Movement (APM), Donald Duke and others to challenge the President Bola Tinubu in the 2027 general election.
The G100 led by Malam Salihu Lukmam disclosed in a statement on Monday that it had since engaged the leadership of six opposition parties, including presidential candidates, running mates and national chairmen, as part of efforts to build consensus ahead of the elections.
This is coming on the heels of the coalition’s August 2, 2026 open letter to opposition leaders, leaders of thought, civil society organisations and Nigerians of good conscience, in which it unveiled what it called the “Doctrine of Necessary Democratic Opposition.”
The doctrine advocates a credible and competitive opposition capable of providing Nigerians with a viable alternative to the ruling party.
“We have deliberately kept these consultations away from the glare of the media, in recognition of the sensitivity of many of the discussions and the need to allow party leaders to engage frankly and constructively without the pressure of premature public commentary. We believe that, at this stage, protecting the integrity of the process is more important than publicising every meeting,” the statement read.
G100 said the engagements had revealed a clear recognition among the parties of the need to work more closely together ahead of the 2027 polls, with leaders acknowledging that achieving a credible and effective opposition would require sacrifice, compromise and a willingness to place the country’s interests above narrow partisan or individual considerations.
Building on this, the coalition announced that preparations were underway for a Summit of Opposition Parties, scheduled for Tuesday, August 18, 2026, in Abuja, which it said would provide a structured platform for the parties to begin discussions on the modalities for achieving greater opposition unity.
“The G100 does not presume to dictate the outcome of these conversations. Our role is to facilitate dialogue, build confidence and help create the conditions in which the participating political parties can openly consider the difficult questions of cooperation, sacrifice, accommodation and collective action,” the statement said.
The group said any framework that emerges from the process must recognise the legitimate interests of all participating parties while ensuring that the interests of the Nigerian people remain the overriding consideration.
It added that the central argument of the Doctrine of Necessary Democratic Opposition remains that Nigeria’s democracy is strengthened when citizens are presented with a credible alternative capable of competing effectively for their mandate, warning that fragmentation among those seeking to provide that alternative serves neither the opposition nor the Nigerian people.
“The consultations of the past week represent only the beginning. The task ahead will require patience, courage and, above all, sacrifice. The G100 remains committed to help facilitate the process of unity of Nigeria’s main opposition parties and leaders in good faith and in the overriding interest of Nigeria and its democracy,” the statement added.
The G100 said its consultations had revealed a growing recognition among opposition leaders that greater cooperation would be necessary, although no agreement has been reached on a common candidate or the structure of a possible alliance.
The initiative is coming amid concerns that multiple opposition candidates could split votes and inadvertently strengthen the APC’s chances in 2027.
