The opposition leaders negotiating to field a consensus presidential candidate against President Bola Tinubu in the 2027 general election are making significant progress, accordong to the G100 coalition The coalition named former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar, former Anambra State Governor Peter Obi, former Cross River State Governor l, Donald Duke, and other opposition figures among the presidential hopefuls being considered for the proposed alliance. The National Chairman of the Social Democratic Party (SDP), Prof. Sadiq Umar Abubakar Gombe, disclosed this on Wednesday in Abuja during the inauguration of the coalition’s legal and media committees. Gombe said the coalition had engaged the leaders of participating political parties and presidential hopefuls to secure their commitment to a common candidate capable of defeating the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC). “Our ambition is to present a candidate that can defeat APC and form the next government. And we’re making very good progress,” he said. The G100 coalition comprises the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Peoples Redemption Party (PRP), Social Democratic Party (SDP), Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and Allied Peoples Movement (APM). National chairmen and representatives of some of the participating parties attended the meeting, where Gombe inaugurated the legal and media committees to provide a formal structure for the negotiations and coordinate the coalition’s activities. He said the responses from the participating parties and presidential hopefuls had encouraged the coalition, expressing confidence that the outstanding issues would be resolved before the 2027 general election. According to him, the inauguration of the committees marks a shift from preliminary political discussions to a more structured process aimed at building a united opposition platform. “Today, we take a deliberate step from intention to structure. The work of this coalition will be judged not only by the strength of our convictions, but by the discipline, precision and unity with which we carry it out,” he said. Although the coalition has not announced a candidate-selection formula, its negotiations are expected to address how the participating parties and their presidential hopefuls will agree on a common candidate and sustain their alliance. The committee, which comprises national legal advisers of the participating parties and other senior legal representatives, will also examine the actions of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in relation to relevant Supreme Court judgments. Its responsibilities include vetting working-group documents and negotiated agreements, identifying potential legal risks, recommending safeguards and establishing mechanisms for resolving disputes before the coalition adopts any agreement. Gombe warned the committee against overlooking legal issues that could jeopardise the negotiations. “We cannot afford surprises. A single overlooked clause can undo months of honest negotiation,” he said, urging members to demonstrate thoroughness, candour and independent judgment. The media and publicity committee will coordinate the coalition’s public communication, joint media engagements and official announcements. The committee comprises national publicity secretaries and spokespersons of the presidential campaign councils of the participating parties. It will also establish procedures for approving joint statements, ensure consistency in public messaging and consult the legal committee on sensitive constitutional and legal issues. Beyond the negotiations, the SDP chairman said the coalition was responding to the need for credible political alternatives amid Nigeria’s economic and security challenges. He identified persistent insecurity, rising living costs, unemployment and declining purchasing power as major concerns confronting Nigerians, insisting that the Tinubu administration must remain accountable for its policies and performance. The coalition is seeking to build a common platform capable of challenging the APC in 2027, when Tinubu is expected to seek another four-year term. However, despite the progress reported by the coalition, it remains unclear how the participating parties will select their flag bearer from among the leading opposition figures or whether all the presidential hopefuls will agree to support the eventual candidate.
The legal and media committees are expected to help establish the framework for cooperation and coordinate public communication as negotiations continue