ABUJA — The G100 opposition coalition has stepped up negotiations to unite major political parties behind a common presidential candidate to challenge President Bola Tinubu in the 2027 general election.
The coalition expressed optimism after inaugurating its Legal and Media Committees in Abuja on Wednesday, October 21, 2026, describing the move as a significant step towards formalising cooperation among opposition parties.
National Chairman of the Social Democratic Party (SDP), Prof. Sadiq Umar Abubakar Gombe, said discussions involving party leaders and presidential hopefuls were progressing.
“Our ambition is to present a candidate that can defeat APC and form the next government,” Gombe said, expressing confidence in the negotiations.
The six parties participating in the initiative are the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Social Democratic Party (SDP), Peoples Redemption Party (PRP) and Allied Peoples Movement (APM).
Presidential hopefuls whose names have featured in the consultations include former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar, former Anambra State Governor Peter Obi, former Cross River State Governor Donald Duke, SDP’s Adewole Adebayo and Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde.
The consultations are intended to explore cooperation among the parties and develop a framework for presenting a stronger opposition challenge to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
The Legal Committee will examine constitutional provisions, electoral laws, outstanding legal disputes and relevant court judgments that could affect the proposed alliance.
It will also advise the coalition on lawful options, review negotiated agreements, identify potential legal risks and recommend mechanisms for resolving disputes among participating parties.
The Media and Publicity Committee, comprising party publicity officials and campaign spokespersons, will coordinate joint communications, media engagements and public announcements.
The committees are expected to help transform the coalition’s political discussions into a more structured arrangement ahead of the 2027 elections.
Consensus plan faces political differences
However, the push for a single presidential candidate is not without complications.
The ADC has publicly clarified that its participation in the G100-led discussions does not mean it has agreed to produce a single opposition presidential candidate.
The party’s National Publicity Secretary, Bolaji Abdullahi, told Premium Times on October 17 that the discussions focused on broader electoral cooperation, including protecting votes and allowing parties to support one another where they have stronger political bases.
The clarification highlights differences over the ultimate objective of the negotiations, even as coalition leaders continue to pursue greater opposition cooperation.
G100 convenor Salihu Lukman has argued that opposition parties risk weakening their chances against the APC if their presidential candidates contest separately and divide the opposition vote.
The coalition’s August 31 summit in Abuja proposed five working areas, including democratic renewal, a single-term transition charter, national reforms, opposition unity and the selection of a common presidential candidate.
It also proposed a four-year transitional administration built around competence, integrity, national inclusion and fair representation.
Despite the progress reported by its leaders, no binding agreement naming a consensus presidential candidate has been announced.
The coalition must still navigate competing presidential ambitions, disagreements over the terms of cooperation and questions about how participating parties would implement any eventual agreement.
With the presidential election scheduled for January 16, 2027, the coming months will be critical in determining whether the opposition can convert its negotiations into a united electoral platform.
For now, the G100’s latest committee inaugurations signal movement towards a formal alliance, but the success of its consensus project will depend on whether party leaders and presidential hopefuls are willing to compromise their individual ambitions for a common political strategy.
