2027 Election: Atiku, Peter Obi Consider Path to Single Opposition Candidate, Details Emerge
- The G-100 group scheduled an opposition summit for August 18 in Abuja to push for a joint presidential candidate against President Bola Ahmed Tinubu
- Ex-Vice President Atiku Abubakar's camp stopped short of confirming his attendance, while the Obidient Movement said the decision was entirely Peter Obi's to make
- Labour Party called on all opposition groups to dissolve into its structure rather than build a new coalition platform
PAY ATTENTION: Find it fast with our new search feature at Legit.ng!
Legit.ng journalist Ridwan Adeola Yusuf has over nine years of experience covering politics, elections, public affairs, and governance in Nigeria and Africa.
FCT, Abuja - Conflicting signals from major opposition figures and parties have cast doubt on the prospects of a united front against President Bola Tinubu in the 2027 elections, as each group appears unwilling to surrender its platform without firm guarantees on leadership and structure.
As reported by The Punch on Thursday, August 13, the controversy follows a call by the Group of 100 Nigerians, led by former All Progressives Congress (APC) chieftain Salisu Lukman, for opposition leaders to unite behind a single candidate.
Source: Twitter
The group urged former Vice President Atiku Abubakar of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) and Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) presidential candidate Peter Obi, alongside their running mates Rotimi Amaechi and Rabiu Kwankwaso, to set aside individual ambitions and agree on a common candidate. The group argues that a fragmented opposition cannot realistically defeat the ruling APC and has convened a summit in Abuja on Thursday, August 18, to advance the proposal.
Atiku, Peter Obi hold back
Atiku's Senior Special Assistant on Public Communication, Phrank Shaibu, welcomed the G-100's efforts in general terms but declined to confirm whether the former vice president would attend the August 18 summit.
Shaibu said:
"His attendance at the August 18 summit will, however, be communicated once his schedule and participation are finalised."
On the question of stepping down in favour of a single candidate, Shaibu was non-committal, noting only that Atiku was in ongoing consultation "with political leaders and stakeholders across the opposition" and that "at the appropriate time, the outcome of these consultations will be made public."
The Obidient Movement, which backs Obi's presidential bid, confirmed that an invitation had been extended to him but said the choice to attend was his alone. National Coordinator Tanko Yunusa told reporters:
"An invitation has been sent to him. We will see whether he will attend or not. It is left for him to decide on whether to go to such a meeting."
Yunusa did add that he considered opposition unity "very good," but could not confirm whether Atiku had separately reached out to Obi.
Source: Facebook
Labour Party and DLA resist merger calls
The Labour Party took a firmer stance, rejecting the idea of building a new coalition vehicle entirely. National Publicity Secretary Ken Asogwa argued that the party's ties to the Nigeria Labour Congress and the Trade Union Congress gave it an organisational reach extending from the national level down to individual polling units that rivals could not replicate.
"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," Asogwa said, calling on all political movements to fold their structures into the LP rather than form another body.
The Democratic Leadership Alliance (DLA) was similarly cautious, with Deputy National Publicity Secretary Judith Aguenu confirming that the party was "not in talks with the G-100 or any other political party or group regarding the adoption or nomination of a single presidential candidate" at this stage.
The Coalition of United Political Parties offered the most enthusiastic response, with spokesman Agu Bryan pledging support for a consensus candidate should Obi, Atiku and others reach "a mutually acceptable arrangement in the overriding national interest."
The August 18 summit is shaping up as an early test of whether the opposition can move beyond rhetoric and begin negotiating in earnest, with the divergent positions already on the table suggesting that process will be far from smooth.
Read more on 2027 elections
- 2027 election: Peter Obi speaks on rumoured agreement with Goodluck Jonathan to sack President Tinubu
- "2027 Not turn of south east": Umahi declares as Peter Obi releases bold statement
- 2027 election: VDM warns Nigerians about Goodluck Jonathan and PDP, “he is sponsored by Tinubu”
ChatGPT predicts winner of 2027 election
Earlier, Legit.ng reported that ChatGPT predicted that the ruling APC would likely win Nigeria's 2027 presidential election, using the Four Horsemen framework.
It cited the current opposition coalition but said the ruling APC has the edge due to possible low voter turnout and the Tinubu administration's efforts to stabilise the economy.
The political climate reached a point where the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) had to issue a warning that campaigning at that time was illegal, echoing the standpoint of popular human rights lawyer Femi Falana.
Source: Legit.ng
