A coalition of 100 prominent Nigerians, known as the G100, has called on leading opposition politicians to abandon individual presidential ambitions and build a united platform ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The coalition, led by opposition figure Salihu Lukman, warned that continued fragmentation among opposition parties could weaken Nigeria’s democracy and strengthen the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
The appeal was contained in a seven-page open letter dated August 2, 2026, and titled, “The Doctrine of a Necessary Democratic Opposition.”
According to the group, the country has entered a dangerous political period in which “neutrality becomes a form of consent, and silence becomes an accomplice to decline.”
The letter was addressed to several political leaders, including the presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress, Atiku Abubakar, and his Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) counterpart, Peter Obi.
Others named in the letter included former Senate President David Mark; Rabiu Kwankwaso; former transportation minister Rotimi Amaechi; Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde; Bauchi State Governor Bala Mohammed; and former Osun State governor Rauf Aregbesola.
The coalition also addressed Seriake Dickson, Kabiru Tanimu Turaki, Hakeem Baba-Ahmed, Donald Duke, Sadiq Umar Abubakar Gombe and Prince Adewole Adebayo, among other opposition figures.
Opposition Division Weakening Democracy — Group
The coalition argued that the APC had continued to consolidate power because meaningful opposition within and outside the government had weakened.
It said opposition politicians appeared more focused on personal aspirations than on building a credible alternative capable of challenging the ruling party.
“While the executive consolidates power, the opposition fragments. While the people seek leadership, too many leaders pursue personal ambition. This is not merely the failure of political parties; it is the weakening of democracy itself,” the statement read.
The G100 said a functioning democracy required more than periodic elections, insisting that voters must be presented with a credible alternative to the incumbent government.
It drew comparisons with the G34 movement during the military era and the National Assembly’s adoption of the Doctrine of Necessity during the illness of former President Umaru Yar’Adua.
The coalition stated, “Elections without genuine choice are ceremonies without substance.
“A government that fears no opposition soon forgets the people. An opposition that cannot oppose soon forgets its purpose.”
‘Nigeria Cannot Be Rescued By Divided Opposition’
The coalition said Nigeria’s economic, political and social challenges were too serious for opposition leaders to pursue separate campaigns without first agreeing on a common programme.
It warned that divided candidates could end up working towards the same electoral defeat despite claiming to share similar objectives.
The letter stated, “The hour is too grave for scattered ambition and private calculation. Nigeria cannot be rescued by opposition leaders who march separately towards the same defeat.
“They must first agree on the country they seek to rebuild and the reforms they are prepared to defend.
“No people can hope to defeat a united failure with a divided alternative.”
The coalition clarified that it was not endorsing any particular aspirant or attempting to undermine the ambition of any opposition leader.
It said its objective was to secure a collective agreement based on democratic reforms and the national interest.
Coalition Proposes Opposition Council
To advance the proposed alliance, the G100 announced plans to convene a National Council of Opposition Leaders within two weeks.
The council, according to the coalition, would build on the April 2026 Ibadan Declaration and develop a framework for choosing a consensus presidential candidate ahead of the 2027 election.
The group said every prospective candidate must be prepared to place personal ambition below the broader need to strengthen the country’s democracy.
“Every candidate’s ambition shall be summoned before the bar of patriotism, and every man or woman shall be asked a single question: whether he or she seeks to contest the 2027 elections for himself or herself, or for the salvation of Nigeria,” it said.
The coalition also called on civil society organisations, academics, labour unions and ordinary Nigerians to pressure opposition leaders into embracing cooperation.
It maintained that the challenge extended beyond determining the winner of the next presidential election, warning that continued division could undermine democratic accountability.
The letter read, “The question before us is larger than the outcome of the next election.
“It is whether Nigeria shall remain a Republic in which power answers to the people, or whether indifference and division shall weaken the very foundations of democratic accountability.”
