Opposition Coalition Yet To Select Political Platform For 2027 Elections.
The Coalition of Political Leaders has yet to adopt a registered political platform for its bid to challenge the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in the 2027 general elections.
In a statement on Monday, Malami Salihu Lukman clarified that discussions on candidate selection and zoning arrangements remain unresolved among coalition members. The coalition includes key political figures such as former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, former Kaduna State Governor Nasir Ahmad El-Rufai, Dr Kayode Fayemi, and Rauf Aregbesola, among others.
Lukman accused the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) of preventing coalition members from registering a new political party to pursue their electoral ambitions. He stated that once consultations are finalised, a formal announcement will be made regarding the coalition’s membership composition, programme of action, and framework for contesting the 2027 elections.
According to Lukman, the coalition’s primary focus is to unite political leaders and encourage members to set aside personal ambitions in favour of a collective strategy. He further alleged that the APC-led administration is laying the groundwork for a one-party state, which has intensified the coalition’s negotiations on selecting an existing political party as their platform for the elections.
He noted that several groups, including some within the coalition, have applied to register political parties, but for undisclosed reasons, INEC has yet to approve these applications. Additionally, many existing registered parties that failed to meet the electoral threshold in the last general elections face the risk of deregistration, further limiting options for the coalition.
Given these challenges, Lukman revealed that the coalition has initiated talks with existing opposition parties such as the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Labour Party (LP), and the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), despite internal crises within these parties.
Expressing his frustration, he remarked: “It is almost a clear case of destroying the legal basis for any party to qualify to field candidates for 2027 other than the ruling APC. This is quite unfortunate coming during the tenure of a party that is envisioned to be progressive. It is even more troubling when it is during the tenure of a leader – President Bola Ahmed Tinubu – who has unarguably been in the vanguard of Nigeria’s democratic struggle.”
He further warned that Nigeria’s democratic space is shrinking at an alarming rate, stating that such developments were previously only imaginable under a military government. According to him, the determination and resilience of Nigerians are being tested under the current administration.
As discussions continue, the political landscape ahead of the 2027 elections remains uncertain, with opposition leaders exploring all available avenues to mount a formidable challenge against the APC.
