Obi, Kwankwaso, Amaechi, Atiku Také Unexpected Action as Opposition Plot to Sack Tinubu in 2027
- The First National Opposition Summit organised by G100 and the House Minority Caucus took place in Abuja on Monday
- Atiku Abubakar, Peter Obi, Rabiu Kwankwaso, and Rotimi Amaechi were all absent, with no official reason given for their non-attendance
- Six opposition parties that attended signed a communiqué committing to a structured coalition process ahead of the 2027 elections
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A summit billed as a historic first step towards a united opposition ahead of the 2027 general elections got off to a difficult start on Monday in Abuja, with several of the biggest names in Nigerian opposition politics failing to show up.
The First National Opposition Summit, convened by civil society group G100 alongside the Minority Caucus of the House of Representatives, took place at the Shehu Musa Yar'Adua Centre. Its stated goal was to build a common framework for a single presidential candidate and a four-year transition government.
Source: UGC
Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), former Anambra Governor Peter Obi, Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), and former Transportation Minister Rotimi Amaechi were all conspicuously absent.
No representative from any of their parties offered an explanation for their non-attendance.
Parties that showed up
Six parties sent delegations to the summit: the Social Democratic Party (SDP), Peoples Redemption Party (PRP), Democratic Leadership Alliance (DLA), Allied Peoples Movement (APM), and others. Those present included SDP presidential candidate Prince Adewole Adebayo and his running mate Dr Usman Bugaje, PRP presidential candidate Donald Duke, DLA candidate Amb. Moses Olusola, and APM vice-presidential candidate Lawal Daura.
G100 Director-General Salihu Mohd Lukman, a former Director-General of the Progressive Governors' Forum, used his opening address to warn that the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) would continue to benefit from a fragmented opposition if the parties failed to act.
He proposed a Central Leadership Committee, five working groups, and a binding "National Covenant for Democratic Renewal" as a starting point, arguing that parties needed to agree on rules for cooperation before debating who the joint candidate should be.
House Minority Leader Frederick Agbedi backed the push for unity, urging political leaders to put the welfare of ordinary Nigerians above personal ambition.
"Nigeria is in pain. Nigeria is suffering. If we are united, we can repeat what the APC did in 2015. For us, there is no issue of a preferred candidate," he said.
PRP National Chairman Dr Hakeem Baba-Ahmed described the coalition effort as a "genuine sign of hope for Nigerians", while former Niger State Governor and PDP Board of Trustees member Babangida Aliyu called on participants to sustain the process, warning that personal and financial interests had long overshadowed the national good.
Summit ends with a signed communiqué
Despite the high-profile absences, the six parties present signed a communiqué committing to a formal negotiation process. House Minority Caucus spokesperson Hon Afam Victor Ogene read the document after party chairmen and principal leaders appended their signatures.
The parties agreed to set up three coalition organs: a Central Leadership Committee, a Publicity and Communication Committee, and a Legal Committee.
Five working groups were also established and given 30 days to produce draft documents covering areas including a single-term transition charter, a national reform programme, and a roadmap to a common presidential candidate.
The communiqué confirmed that G100 would serve only as a facilitator and observer, with all decision-making authority remaining with the political parties. A second summit is expected to be held to formally review and adopt the frameworks produced by the working groups.
2027: PDP, ADC moves to sack Tinubu
Previously, Legit.ng reported that Nigerian opposition parties gathered in Abuja on Monday, August 31, for a summit organised by political pressure group G-100, aimed at building a united front to challenge Bola Tinubu and the All Progressives Congress in the 2027 presidential election.
The summit, held at the Shehu Musa Yar'Adua Centre, was convened by G-100, a group led by former Director-General of the Progressives Governors Forum, Salihu Lukman, who has consistently warned that a fragmented opposition cannot dislodge a well-resourced ruling party.
Source: Legit.ng
