The push to forge a united opposition ahead of the 2027 general elections has gained fresh momentum as the G100 political movement and the Minority Caucus of the House of Representatives agreed to deepen collaboration aimed at building a formidable platform against the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
The agreement was reached on Tuesday in Abuja when a delegation of the G100, led by its Convener, Salihu Lukman, held consultations with the House Minority Caucus led by Minority Leader, Fred Agbedi.
The meeting is part of the G100’s wider engagement with opposition parties, presidential aspirants and other political stakeholders ahead of its proposed Opposition Political Parties Summit scheduled for August 31.
The renewed push for opposition unity comes against the backdrop of growing concerns that the division among opposition parties could once again hand the APC an advantage in 2027, as happened when major opposition forces contested the 2023 presidential election separately.
Speaking after the meeting, Agbedi described the engagement as a major step towards formalising cooperation between the G100 and the Minority Caucus.
“We had just had a successful meeting and in the meeting we concluded that this is the consummation of the alliance partnership, working together of the Minority Caucus of the House of Representatives and the G100, fusing into one to ensure that we play an active role in enriching democracy in Nigeria,” he said.
The Minority Leader called on opposition parties, presidential aspirants and political leaders to begin serious negotiations towards a common political arrangement, warning that personal ambitions must not override the broader objective of providing Nigerians with an alternative to the APC.
He said the economic and social challenges confronting Nigerians had made opposition cooperation more urgent.
“I want to call on all members of opposition, no matter the party you belong, no matter your ambition, that there is strength in unity and that the opposition should unite to ensure that we wrestle power from the APC in 2027,” Agbedi said.
Lukman, a former APC National Vice Chairman, said the G100 was created primarily to address the fragmentation within the opposition and facilitate negotiations towards a common political front.
He said the movement was not established to promote a particular politician or political party but to encourage stakeholders to put national interest ahead of individual ambitions.
“Our mission is simple. It was a follow-up to the open letter we issued to our leaders, which you are part of that leadership, and we all came together out of concern,” Lukman said.
He warned that failure to address the divisions within the opposition could produce a repeat of the 2023 experience.
“As opposition parties, we seem to be fragmented, and if we continue the way we are going, we are almost going to replay the 2023 scenario. It is almost like a case of handing over victory to the ruling party, and then we go back to square one,” he said.
Lukman disclosed that the G100 had already held consultations with major opposition parties, including the African Democratic Congress (ADC), New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP), Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Action Peoples Movement (APM), Peoples Redemption Party (PRP) and Social Democratic Party (SDP).
According to him, the consultations involved presidential candidates, running mates and national chairmen, with the movement presenting its proposal for a negotiated opposition alliance.
He said the response had been largely positive, prompting the decision to convene a wider summit where the structure and modalities of the proposed coalition could be discussed.
The summit was initially scheduled for August 18 but was shifted to August 31 following appeals from political stakeholders who were expected to participate in a peace accord facilitated by the National Peace Committee.
Lukman said the additional time would allow the movement to expand its consultations and bring more political actors into the process.
“Many Nigerians have indicated good support, and we want to work with everybody. This is not about us; it’s about the country,” he said.
As part of efforts to translate the consultations into a workable political arrangement, Lukman disclosed that a technical committee had been established to develop the framework and modalities for the proposed collaboration.
The Minority Caucus, he added, had agreed to nominate lawmakers to the committee.
Agbedi confirmed the caucus’ participation, saying the House Minority leadership had independently been consulting opposition parties, presidential candidates and other stakeholders to build a stronger opposition ahead of 2027.
He disclosed that some lawmakers had remained in Abuja during the legislative recess to participate in the consultations.
“As minorities, that was our objective, and because of that, a number of us haven’t travelled since we went on vacation because we decided that we must go around all the parties and the presidential candidates and the other members to make sure that we come together and create a strong and virile opposition for the 2027 election,” he said.
Agbedi said the G100 initiative aligned with the position already adopted by the Minority Caucus.
“When we saw the G100, it matches our position. And so this is a marriage of convenience, and we believe that we are keyed in already individually and collectively as opposition parties in the House of Representatives,” he said.
He assured the G100 that the caucus would participate in the initiative collectively and through individual lawmakers.
The Minority Leader also confirmed the August 31 summit, saying stakeholders would use the gathering to unveil further details on how the opposition intends to work together ahead of the 2027 elections.
“Finally, we affirmed the opposition summit that will be held on 31st August where further details of how the opposition will work together and wrestle power in 2027 will be unveiled,” Agbedi said.
Meanwhile, Agbedi described the August 15 Osun State governorship election as an indication of the power of voters to influence electoral outcomes.
He congratulated the people of Osun State, saying their determination to protect their votes was crucial to the outcome of the election.
“You see it as a victory for the opposition. First, the congratulations go to the people of Osun State. Without the determination of the people, be it INEC or whoever, we wouldn’t have had democracy saved in Osun State,” he said.
However, he declined to give the Independent National Electoral Commission an unqualified commendation, saying the election was not perfect.
“Whether INEC has proved herself or not, I don’t think that the election was 100 per cent. And so we are not here to begin to say that INEC has done well,” he added.
With the August 31 summit drawing closer, the opposition faces a critical test: whether its various parties and political heavyweights can transform repeated calls for unity into a concrete arrangement.
Beyond rhetoric, the proposed alliance will have to resolve contentious issues including leadership, presidential ticket allocation, power-sharing, party structures and the selection of candidates.
For the G100 and the House Minority Caucus, the message is clear: a divided opposition risks another electoral setback, while a negotiated common front could fundamentally reshape the contest for power in 2027.
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