Coalition urges opposition to back single presidential candidate

A coalition of 100 prominent Nigerians, operating under the banner of the G-100, has issued a strong call for Nigeria's opposition parties to unite. In an open letter dated August 2, 2026, the group urged key opposition figures, including Atiku Abubakar, Peter Obi, Rabiu Kwankwaso, and Rotimi Amaechi, to set aside personal ambitions and negotiate a single presidential candidate for the 2027 election.

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There are seasons in the life of every nation when neutrality becomes a form of consent, and silence becomes an accomplice to decline. Nigeria has entered such a season.

The G-100 warns that only a united opposition can prevent what they describe as the "gradual erosion of Nigeria’s democracy" and the continued dominance of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC). The group argues that Nigeria's democratic future hinges on presenting a credible, unified alternative to the current administration. They contend that the most significant threat to the nation is not solely economic hardship but the weakening of democratic institutions due to a fragmented opposition and the concentration of political power.

"There are seasons in the life of every nation when neutrality becomes a form of consent, and silence becomes an accomplice to decline. Nigeria has entered such a season," the letter states. The coalition asserts that the country's problems extend beyond inflation, unemployment, and poverty. They identify a deeper crisis in a political system that prioritizes loyalty over competence and patronage over public service, leading to institutions that perpetuate poverty and deprivation.

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We have fashioned a political order that too often rewards loyalty over merit, patronage over service, and power over accountability. We should not wonder that such a system produces poverty and misery, for a nation cannot harvest prosperity from institutions that perpetuate poverty and deprivation.

The G-100 expressed concern that while the ruling APC consolidates power, opposition parties are distracted by internal rivalries. "The ruling party grows stronger, not only because of its own organisation, but because it has surrendered internal dissent to the authority of the executive. At the same time, those entrusted with presenting Nigerians an alternative have become divided by ambition rather than united by purpose," the letter lamented. The coalition stressed the need for opposition leaders to focus on building a viable electoral alternative rather than engaging in internal disputes.

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The ruling party grows stronger, not only because of its own organisation, but because it has surrendered internal dissent to the authority of the executive. At the same time, those entrusted with presenting Nigerians an alternative have become divided by ambition rather than united by purpose.