The Minority Caucus of the House of Representatives has called on opposition political parties to put aside their differences. They want all parties to work together to choose a single presidential candidate for the 2027 general elections.
The caucus believes that a united opposition has a better chance to defeat the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and end its grip on power.
Frederick Agbedi, the Minority Leader of the House and a member of the PDP from Bayelsa, made this call on Tuesday. This was after a meeting with members of the G100 opposition coalition led by Salihu Lukman, a leader of the African Democratic Congress (ADC).
The G100 aims to unite opposition politicians and parties for the 2027 elections. Their goal is to create a common platform and select a consensus presidential candidate to challenge President Bola Tinubu and the APC.
Mr Agbedi described Tuesday’s meeting as the start of cooperation between the House Minority Caucus and the coalition. They aim to mobilize opposition forces as the elections approach.
He said, “We have also used this opportunity to decide that we 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.”
The lawmaker pointed out that the rising economic hardship in Nigeria should encourage opposition politicians to set aside their personal ambitions. They need to work together to offer a real alternative to the ruling party.
“Nigerians are seriously in pain, Nigerians are wailing, Nigerians are so frustrated, and there is no reason why, as opposition voices, we should not stand up for Nigerians and bring support to them,” Mr Agbedi said.
He warned that if the opposition keeps splitting, they might repeat the same mistakes from the 2023 presidential election, where votes were divided among many candidates.
“Our concern is simple. 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,” he said.
“It’s almost like a case of handing over victory to the ruling party and then we go back to square one.”
Mr Agbedi added that the G100 has already talked to key figures from six opposition parties. This includes presidential candidates, their running mates, and national chairpersons.
He said that the responses to the idea of a united opposition have been positive so far.
Mr Lukman, who spoke alongside the lawmakers, mentioned that the coalition had planned to hold its national opposition summit on Tuesday. They decided to postpone it to allow for more talks with political leaders.
The decision was also made to avoid having the summit at the same time as the signing of a national peace accord. The summit is now set for 31 August and is expected to gather important opposition politicians. This includes former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and ex-Anambra Governor Peter Obi, along with other political stakeholders.
Mr Lukman explained that the coalition was created because of worries that divisions among opposition parties could again split the anti-APC vote. This could lead to a result like the 2023 presidential election.
The former APC Deputy National Chairman (North-west) said that the G100 has put together a technical committee to lead the consultation process. He mentioned that the Minority Caucus of the House has agreed to name representatives to this committee.
He added that the initiative has grown beyond its initial 100 members as more Nigerians show interest in joining the push for a united opposition.
“This is not about us, it’s about the country,” Mr Lukman said. He urged opposition leaders to work together to ensure that the 2027 election would not be just “business as usual.”
Sergius Ogun, a former member of the House and part of the G100 delegation, also spoke. He said that opposition parties would have a better chance of defeating President Tinubu if they present a united front.
“Like he rightly said, the weakest of us can defeat this president. But it will be sweeter if we come together,” Mr Ogun said.
He urged opposition politicians to stop wasting their energy on fighting each other. They should instead unite against the ruling party.
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