The media aide to the African Democratic Congress (ADC) presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, Phrank Shaibu, has said his principal remained fully aligned with the opposition summit’s objective and supported efforts to build a broad and disciplined opposition ahead of the 2027 election.
NEWSNGR reports that the clarification comes after Atiku and his Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) counterpart, Peter Obi, were absent on Monday as opposition parties and presidential candidates opened fresh negotiations in Abuja on the possibility of presenting a single candidate against the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in the 2027 presidential election.
The summit, convened by the G-100 political pressure group at the Yar’Adua Centre, brought together representatives of six opposition parties, the ADC, Allied Peoples Movement (APM), NDC, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Peoples Redemption Party (PRP) and Social Democratic Party (SDP).
Among those present were PRP presidential candidate, Donald Duke, SDP presidential candidate Adewale Adebayo, Democratic Leadership Alliance candidate Moses Olusoji, and APM vice-presidential candidate Lawan Daura, alongside other party leaders and stakeholders.
Speaking with Punch on the development, Shaibu said Atiku’s absence was unavoidable and should not be construed as a boycott or lack of commitment to efforts aimed at strengthening opposition unity.
He said, “His Excellency’s absence was unavoidable and should not be mischievously interpreted as a boycott or lack of commitment to opposition unity.
“He is fully aligned with the objective of the summit and has made his position clear: Nigeria urgently needs a broad, disciplined and united opposition capable of ending the hardship, insecurity and economic mismanagement of the Tinubu administration in 2027.
“Atiku’s commitment to that cause is not in doubt.”
However, a source familiar with the discussions who spoke with the aforementioned publication said Peter Obi and Atiku were watching the process closely and were likely to take a position after assessing the framework being developed by the G-100 organisers.
According to the source, the emergence of the G-100 after the various parties had already produced their presidential candidates could make the negotiations particularly difficult, especially the argument on who will step down.
The source said, “While the goal of the G-100 is laudable, Atiku is perhaps thinking that they started quite late. He is in support of every legitimate strategy to unseat the APC-led government, but the fact that the group emerged after the parties had produced their respective presidential candidates didn’t make the work easier.
“The argument is, who will be willing to step down at this point in time? These are what I think Atiku is looking at at the moment, but I am not speaking for him.”
Speaking on Peter Obi’s absence, the source noted that it will be difficult for the NDC presidential candidate and his vice-presidential candidate, Rabiu Kwankwaso, to put aside their ambition, but expressed optimism that the duo could attend subsequent meetings.
He added, “As for Obi, I would have been surprised to see him here. Unless others agree to put aside their ambition in support of the Obi/Kwankwaso ticket, I don’t see them backing out of the race.
“However, both men are likely to attend subsequent meetings if they are sure the G-100 is on track.”
Meanwhile, the spokesman for the House of Representatives minority caucus, Afam Ogene, said Peter Obi and Atiku’s absence should not be interpreted as a lack of support for the initiative.
According to Ogene, Monday’s summit was primarily to lay the foundation for the process.
He stated, “It’s just the laying of structures, so the party chairmen and officials largely handled that.”
