Lukman Predicts Opposition Alliance to Name 2027 Candidate Close to Polls

Salihu Lukman, a former Director General of the Progressives Governors Forum and convener of the G-100 political pressure group, has indicated that opposition parties aiming to challenge the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in 2027 might coalesce around a single presidential candidate just a few days before the general election. Speaking on Channels Television’s Hard Copy on Saturday, Lukman expressed confidence in the commitment of party leaders to this process, despite existing disagreements and a lack of trust among them. He emphasized that these parties have taken ownership of the negotiations, which are designed to prevent a fragmentation of opposition votes.

“I can tell you categorically, and my confidence about that comes from what I see in the leadership of the parties: they are committed and they are working, taking all the steps necessary,” Lukman stated. He added, “So it could be two months, some weeks to the election, or a few days to the election, they will come out and tell Nigerians this is the direction, and everybody will queue.”

Lukman also revealed that the ongoing negotiations have expanded beyond the initial six political parties, with efforts underway to incorporate more parties into the proposed alliance. “They are also working to expand; they are reaching out to other parties,” he affirmed.

The G-100 group itself emerged from efforts to unify opposition forces, following a summit held in Ibadan in April 2026, where attendees agreed to pursue a joint presidential candidate against the APC. However, Lukman clarified that the political parties and their presidential aspirants have since taken charge of the negotiation process, moving it beyond the pressure group’s direct control to build the necessary confidence for a potential alliance. He noted, “When the parties owned the process we had started and took it beyond, took it out of our hands and began to engage each other based on the need to develop the kind of confidence they need to trust one another.”

Identifying the trust deficit among opposition parties and their candidates as the primary hurdle, Lukman mentioned that a summit on August 31 established five working groups. One of these groups is specifically tasked with selecting a consensus presidential candidate. Each party, he explained, would nominate representatives through its presidential candidate or party leadership, adhering to agreed terms of reference. “The collegiate is basically about ensuring that both the parties and their candidates are the ones taking the decisions, and at the same time the people doing the work are people who have the mandate of both the parties and the candidates, not anybody from outside,” he elaborated.

Addressing concerns that supporters of prominent figures like former Labour Party presidential candidate Peter Obi, former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar, and the Kwankwasiyya movement might resist supporting an alternative candidate, Lukman cautioned opposition figures against adopting rigid stances. He warned that “Taking a hardline position, a rigid position, is almost like working for the APC and the Tinubu government at this point.” He highlighted that many signatories to G-100’s open letter were supporters of either Obi or Atiku, but the group consistently urged them to prioritize national interest over individual political ambitions, asserting that “the country is superior to any individual.”

Lukman further referenced a recent comment by John Cardinal Onaiyekan on Channels Television, who argued that opposition candidates cannot divide their votes and still expect to defeat the ruling party. “The arithmetic is simple: you can’t split votes five ways and expect victory in one of you,” Lukman reiterated. The challenge of opposition unity remains a significant issue ahead of the 2027 elections, with various political figures exploring alliances amidst fears that multiple presidential candidates could dilute votes that would otherwise bolster a common challenger against President Bola Tinubu.

Regarding the reconciliation of policy differences, such as the Social Democratic Party (SDP) candidate’s proposal for a N300 per litre petrol pump price, Lukman clarified that the objective is not to merge manifestos but to agree on a common minimum programme of action. “It’s not harmonizing manifestos, it’s basically to come up with a minimum programme of action which the government to be produced post-2027 will prioritize implementing,” he stated. He added that this programme would be finalized before the selection of a consensus candidate, ensuring that the chosen individual is committed to implementing these shared priorities. All candidates, he concluded, would subscribe to this programme in advance.