2027 Election: Utomi Leads Talks With Atiku, Peter Obi on Single Candidate, Details Emerge
- Pat Utomi's Political Commission will hold closed-door meetings with 8 opposition presidential candidates within two weeks
- The Movement for Credible Elections said secret sessions are needed to stop 'political mercenaries' from wrecking the process
- Candidates including Atiku Abubakar, Peter Obi, Seyi Makinde and Omoyele Sowore are among those shortlisted for engagement
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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 - Prof. Pat Utomi will lead a commission set up by the Movement for Credible Elections (MCE) in private talks with eight opposition presidential candidates as the group pushes to settle on a single challenger to President Bola Tinubu and the All Progressives Congress (APC) ahead of the 2027 elections.
As reported on Thursday, September 17, by The Punch, the MCE's Media Coordinator, James Ezema, disclosed this in a statement recently, saying the Utomi-led Political Commission expected to wrap up meetings with the candidates and their party leaders within a fortnight.
Source: Twitter
The shortlisted candidates are Atiku Abubakar of the African Democratic Congress, Peter Obi of the Nigeria Democratic Congress, Adewole Adebayo of the Social Democratic Party, Seyi Makinde of the Allied People's Movement, Donald Duke of the People's Redemption Party, Sandy Onor of the Peoples Democratic Party, Peter Agada of the Young Progressives Party, and Omoyele Sowore of the African Action Congress (AAC).
Opposition group sets candidate criteria
The MCE said keeping the sessions private was essential to shield the process from what it described as "political mercenaries and jobbers" determined to derail negotiations. The group said past opposition efforts had repeatedly collapsed not over the principle of a united front, but over the moment of choosing a candidate to lead it, and it was determined to prevent a repeat of that pattern.
"Nigeria cannot afford another opposition arrangement in which political actors agree on the need for a united front but disagree when it becomes necessary to determine the arrowhead and rallying point of that electoral alliance," the statement read.
The MCE said candidates would be assessed against criteria covering national acceptability, competence, integrity, leadership profile, political electability, policy orientation, commitment to democratic institutions, and the capacity to bring together diverse interests. Their grasp of Nigerian political and constitutional questions would also be evaluated.
MCE sets governance agenda beyond candidate
Beyond producing a consensus candidate, the MCE said the process was designed to yield a shared governance agenda covering insecurity, economic hardship, unemployment, poverty, institutional decay, electoral integrity, constitutional reform, education, healthcare, energy, and the high cost of governance.
"The Nigerian people deserve more than a coalition of political personalities. They deserve a coalition of ideas, competence, values and a coherent ideological programme for national salvation," the group said.
Every candidate taking part would be required to commit in writing to accepting the outcome and backing whoever emerged as the coalition's presidential candidate.
Source: Twitter
Utomi will be joined in the commission by Maryam Ciroma, Modupe Adelaja, Solomon Dalung, Uche Onyeagocha, Olusegun Mayegun, Sam Amadi, Mike Iginni, Obongawan Barbara Etim James, Olawale Okunniyi, and Adum Ter Alex, among others.
The tactical session at which the commission's findings will be presented is scheduled to be held in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital.
The MCE initiative follows a separate push by the G100, a coalition of 100 Nigerians, which in August urged opposition figures to set aside personal ambitions and work towards a united electoral arrangement for the 2027 elections. The group has since held consultations with the ADC, APM, NDC, PDP, PRP and SDP.
Read more on 2027 election
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- 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 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.
Source: Legit.ng
