Former Director-General of the Progressive Governors Forum, Salihu Lukman, has revealed that moves are being made to bring former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, former Anambra State Governor Peter Obi and other opposition leaders together to field a single candidate against President Bola Tinubu and the APC in 2027. Lukman, who is also a former APC […]
Former Director-General of the Progressive Governors Forum, Salihu Lukman, has revealed that moves are being made to bring former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, former Anambra State Governor Peter Obi and other opposition leaders together to field a single candidate against President Bola Tinubu and the APC in 2027.
Lukman, who is also a former APC chieftain, disclosed that a framework has been presented to opposition leaders as part of efforts to establish a united political front ahead of the 2027 presidential election.
Speaking during an interview with Arise News, he explained that the main objective of the proposal is to enable the opposition to collectively agree on one presidential candidate who can challenge the ruling party.
He said the candidate would not emerge through a unilateral declaration, explaining that the opposition parties and their leaders would have to sit together and establish the criteria that would guide the selection process.
Lukman also ruled out the possibility of any individual or group imposing a candidate on the others, stressing that the decision must be reached collectively by the participating opposition parties.
He said the opposition leaders must first determine whether they are entering the 2027 election simply to participate or whether they are serious about winning the presidency and forming the next government.
According to him, the fact that only one person can emerge as Nigeria’s president means the opposition must be willing to put its individual ambitions aside and identify the candidate with the strongest prospects of defeating the ruling party.
The former APC chieftain also warned against framing the political contest as a battle between Atiku and Peter Obi, arguing that the opposition’s primary target should be the APC and President Bola Tinubu.
He said the proposed framework is expected to create a structure that will allow opposition parties and their leaders to work together and eventually present Nigerians with a single candidate for the 2027 election.
Lukman said the intention is to give Nigerians a credible political alternative that can attract their confidence and support at the polls.
He maintained that if the opposition wants to defeat the APC and remove President Tinubu from power in 2027, its leaders must focus on cooperation rather than allowing competition among themselves to weaken the effort.