...Says divided opposition risks prolonging political monopoly

 

…National Council of Opposition Leaders to convene within two weeks

A coalition of 100 concerned Nigerians, under the banner of G100, has called on leaders of Nigeria’s democratic opposition to bury personal ambitions and unite ahead of the 2027 general elections, warning that a fragmented opposition could weaken democratic accountability and hand an advantage to the ruling establishment.

 

In an open letter titled “The Doctrine of a Necessary Democratic Opposition,” the group urged opposition leaders to negotiate an electoral arrangement built around a single presidential candidate, common programme, common strategy and shared political purpose.

 

The group said the call was not aimed at promoting a particular politician or party, but at defending Nigerians’ right to a credible democratic alternative.

 

According to the G100, Nigeria’s major challenge goes beyond the economy and politics, arguing that the country’s crisis is fundamentally structural and linked to institutions that, in its assessment, too often reward loyalty and patronage over merit, service and accountability.

 

The group warned that the weakening of opposition politics could have serious consequences for democracy, stressing that elections could lose their meaning where citizens lack a credible alternative capable of challenging and replacing those in power peacefully.

 

It argued that democracy is sustained not merely by conducting elections, but by ensuring that governments can be “peacefully challenged, corrected, and, when necessary, replaced.”

 

The G100 specifically appealed to prominent opposition figures, including former Senate President David Mark; former Vice President Atiku Abubakar; Peter Obi; Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde; Bauchi State Governor Bala Mohammed; former Bayelsa State Governor Seriake Dickson; former Rivers State Governor Rotimi Amaechi; former Kano State Governor Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso; former Osun State Governor Rauf Aregbesola, and other opposition leaders to place national interest above personal ambition.

 

It said the critical question ahead of 2027 should not be which politician most desires the presidency, but who is prepared to help preserve the democratic conditions necessary for Nigeria’s political renewal.

 

The coalition said opposition politicians must begin serious negotiations on how to prosecute the 2027 election as a united front.

 

It proposed that such negotiations should focus on producing a single opposition candidate, alongside a common programme, strategy and political direction.

 

“The hour is too grave for scattered ambition and private calculation,” the group said, warning that opposition politicians who pursue separate paths towards the same objective could end up reinforcing the status quo.

 

The G100 further called on civil society organisations, scholars, professionals, writers, religious leaders, labour leaders and other opinion shapers to play a more active role in defending democratic accountability.

 

It maintained that the stakes go beyond the 2027 presidential election, arguing that the central issue is whether Nigeria will continue as a republic where political power remains accountable to the people.

 

The group announced plans to convene a National Council of Opposition Leaders within the next two weeks, where, it said, the ambitions of political leaders would be subjected to the broader question of national interest.

 

It said the proposed gathering would seek to secure a commitment that the interest of Nigeria should supersede individual political ambitions.

 

The G100 also said it would reaffirm the spirit and purpose of the Ibadan Declaration of April 2026, using it as a basis for pursuing the adoption of a single presidential standard-bearer for the democratic opposition.

 

The group warned that the country could not successfully challenge what it described as a united political establishment with a divided opposition.

 

It said Nigeria’s current political moment demanded leaders willing to sacrifice personal ambitions for institutions, democratic principles and national interest.

 

The open letter was signed by 100 individuals, including Salihu Moh. Lukman, Nnena Ukeje, Simon Achuba, Anthony Kila, Ayokunle Fagbemi, Salihu Tanko Yakasai, Zainab Buba Galadima, Aliyu Audu, Aminu Datti Ahmed and several other Nigerians.

 

The signatories concluded with an appeal for Nigerians to prioritise democratic institutions and national interest over personalities, saying the country’s future should be anchored on liberty, justice and democratic government.