A chieftain of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Salihu Lukman, has explained that the G100 coalition was formed to facilitate cooperation among opposition leaders ahead of the 2027 presidential election and prevent a repeat of the fragmented opposition witnessed in 2023.
Lukman said the group was not established to dictate to political leaders or impose a candidate on them, but to create a platform where leading opposition figures could engage, negotiate and work towards a common political objective.
According to him, the G100’s central concern is that the opposition must avoid dividing its votes among several presidential candidates in 2027, as happened in the 2023 election. He argued that continued rivalry among opposition figures would strengthen the ruling party’s chances of retaining power.
The ADC chieftain acknowledged that bringing the major opposition figures together would be difficult because several of them have presidential ambitions. He noted that politicians such as Atiku Abubakar, Peter Obi and Rabiu Kwankwaso, among others, have significant political followings, but only one person can ultimately emerge as president.
Lukman said the G100 therefore seeks to encourage the politicians to place the national interest above individual ambitions and agree on a common governance framework before deciding on the candidate to lead the coalition.
He explained that the group is also engaging political parties and other stakeholders as part of efforts to build a stronger opposition alliance capable of challenging President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the All Progressives Congress (APC) in 2027.
Lukman stressed that the G100 does not intend to impose a presidential candidate on the opposition. Rather, he said its role is to facilitate discussions and help create the conditions for the major political actors to reach an agreement.
He also warned that if the opposition leaders contest against one another again, they risk repeating the outcome of 2023, when votes were divided among Atiku, Obi, Kwankwaso and other candidates.
The G100’s consultations are expected to continue as opposition parties work towards a possible alliance ahead of the 2027 elections.
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