G100 summit: Opposition, APC square up

•They are confused elements, their gang-up will collapse — APC
•Cooperation will make opposition parties stronger — ADC
•SDP, PDP faction confirm attendance. •LP opts out

AS political stakeholders, especially the opposition parties, eagerly look forward to the G100 summit expected to hold on Monday at the Yar’Adua Centre, Abuja, the African Democratic Congress (ADC) has clarified that the goal of the summit is not to anoint a single presidential candidate, but to build a framework for cooperation that will make opposition parties stronger ahead of 2027.

But in a reaction obtained by Sunday Tribune on Saturday, the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) dismissed the opposition’s new initiative at unity, labeling it a gang-up of unserious elements that would amount to nothing.

National Publicity Secretary of the ADC, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, speaking to Sunday Tribune on Saturday, explained that the thrust of tomorrow’s gathering is to build a bridge of unity among opposition parties ahead of the 2027 elections.

Asked if opposition parties would come together to present a common front, Abdullahi said that was not the immediate objective.

“The way I understand it, that is not the objective of the summit. It’s to prepare terms for cooperation not necessarily single candidate,” he said.

“I don’t want anyone to run away with the impression that the reason is to look for a single presidential candidate. If that doesn’t work, then they say opposition collapse again.”

On expectations for Monday’s meeting, Abdullahi said the ADC was looking forward to exploring areas of collaboration.

“We are looking forward to exploring opportunities for cooperation. Like I said, there are many areas that opposition parties can collaborate and work together. So, we will see how far we can go. Opposition working together makes all of us strong,” he stated.

Summit to set framework for 2027

Key leaders of Nigeria’s opposition, including former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar and former Anambra governor, Peter Obi, are expected to attend the summit.

Themed “A Framework for Opposition Cooperation and Coordination”, G100 convener, Salihu Mohammed Lukman, said the meeting is not meant to decide presidential candidacy in one sitting, but to establish a formal architecture for transparent and collective negotiations.

“The first question before party leaders is not who leads the ticket. It is what we are, together, prepared to do for this country,” the statement said.

Expected at the gathering are National Working Committee members of the ADC, Allied Peoples Movement (APM), Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Peoples Redemption Party (PRP), and Social Democratic Party (SDP).

G100 signatories and members of the Minority Caucus of the House of Representatives.

The G100 said it is convening the summit as a facilitator and observer, not as a substitute for the constitutional authority of the parties.

“The decisions arising from this process will remain the responsibility of the parties themselves,” Lukman maintained.

Count us out of summit —Labour Party

The Labour Party (LP), however, said it would not be involved in the Monday summit, declaring that it is already a coalition in itself and has a well-established structure across the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

The National Publicity Secretary of the party, Mr Ken Asogwa, stated that the party’s decision not to participate in the G-100 Summit was not because it was opposed to the idea of political parties forming a coalition to defeat the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) but more of the fact that the LP had a better structure and coordination.

He noted, “It is never a bad idea for people to have a coalition to defeat the ruling APC. What we are saying is that we, as a political party, we were already a coalition, in the sense that the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC) are integral members of the Labour Party.”

According to him, the Labour Party is unique because the membership of the NLC and the TUC is recognised in the constitution of the party.

“You can agree with me that there is no polling unit area, there is no corner in Nigeria; not even a ward, where you cannot find either a retired or a serving civil servant. So, by sheer membership of the NLC and TUC in the Labour Party, every civil servant in Nigeria is technically a member of the Labour Party,” he explained.

The LP spokesman said the party’s structure was therefore rooted at the polling-unit level, rather than merely at the ward level.

“So, we can’t be going into a coalition. We can’t have such a well-structured platform and go into a coalition that is not well-defined for us”, Asogwa added.

He stated that while the LP was not “averse to coalition”, its platform was open to political parties and groups seeking to collaborate against the APC.

“We have already made our platform available for anybody who wants to engage in any form of coalition. We can’t leave a well-structured party like ours and collapse our ambition into something that is not clearly defined,” Asogwa said.

He explained that the conveners of the G-100 Summit had yet to clearly define what they meant by presenting a unified front against the APC.

“The conveners of the G-100 Summit have not been able to come out with what they mean by presenting a unified front against the APC. So, when that is well-defined, maybe we may decide to tinker with our position,” he said.

The Labour Party spokesman maintained that the party would contest the 2027 general elections as a well-structured political organisation.

“For now, Labour Party is going into this election as a well-structured political party, the best-structured political party in Nigeria today, as it is,” he told our correspondent.

***READ ALSO: ***G100: LP Presidential Candidate rejects anti-Tinubu consensus

Asogwa said the party’s strength had increased significantly since the 2023 elections following efforts by the current leadership to deepen its relationship with the labour unions.

“We had this potential even before the 2023 election, the potential we have in the NLC and the TUC. We had it even before the last election, but the former leadership of the party never harnessed that potential.

“So, the current leadership of the party today has gone to marry the labour unions, the TUC, the NLC and the affiliate unions. And today, we are stronger than we were in 2023,” he further stated.

He said the party would not abandon the structure it had painstakingly built for an undefined coalition, adding, “We can’t take time to build a formidable structure as we have built today and just abandon it on the altar of a coalition that has not been well-defined.”

However, Asogwa said the Labour Party remained willing to consider any clearly defined coalition proposal that was presented to it, noting that, “when it is properly defined, we may decide. We will sit down as a political party to understand what they are proposing, whether it is in tandem with what we already have.”

He added, “Our platform is open to other political parties who feel that they need to coalesce or collaborate in order to defeat the ruling APC. We have thrown our arms open. We are ready to welcome every shade of opinion. We are ready to welcome everyone who thinks that they need to coalesce into our structure to defeat the ruling APC.”

Meanwhile, the Tanimu Turaki-led Interim National Working Committee (INWC) of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) told the newspaper that the summit would be an open platform to canvass and articulate opposition strategies to wrestle power from the APC in 2027.

According to the National Publicity Secretary of the INWC, Comrade Ini Ememobong, discussions will be wide-ranging, including the possibility of settling for a united opposition candidate to confront the APC’s President Bola Tinubu in 2027.

‘The summit will provide a framework for opposition cooperation and coordination.

“The single candidacy is a destination and the meeting will provide a direction to the destination”, Ememobong disclosed to our correspondent.

Incidentally, the camp is not recognised by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and will not present candidates for the polls.

The National Working Committee (NWC) of the PDP, chaired by Honourable Abdulrahman Mohammed and backed by the FCT Minister, Mr Nyesom Wike, is the one recognised by INEC for now, pending the final determination of pending litigation before the courts.

SDP ready to work with true democrats

In its contributions, National Publicity Secretary, Araba Rufus Ayenigba, declared that “the SDP is very much part of the G100 initiative and is occupying a frontline position in the scheme of things of the National Rescue Movement.”

He maintained that the party is committed to always working with true democrats and patriots who truly meant well for the country.

“The SDP national leadership and its presidential candidate, Prince Adewole Adebayo, will participate in the summit of Nigerian opposition political parties under the auspices of the G100.

“The framework for opposition cooperation and coordination ahead of 2027 general elections is expected to be forged at the Summit.

Greatest force against a repeat of 2023 is Nigerian voters – Atiku’s aide

Also speaking on the G100 summit, Phrank Shaibu, Senior Special Assistant on Public Communication to former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar, said the most decisive coalition ahead of the 2027 elections is already being formed outside the conference rooms among millions of Nigerians battered by economic hardship.

According to Shaibu, though “cooperation among opposition parties is important, especially where it is anchored on credible principles, electoral integrity and the overriding interest of Nigerians… I believe the most consequential coalition ahead of 2027 is already forming outside the conference rooms — among millions of Nigerians whose purchasing power has been destroyed by President Tinubu’s policies.”

When asked if the planned G100 summit on forging cooperation could prevent a repeat of 2023 elections where presidential candidates split their votes and gave victory to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu amidst the cynicism that the opposition parties cannot speak with one voice, Shaibu argued that the ordinary citizens have already formed the coalition to stop the incumbent president.

“The worker whose salary can no longer buy what it bought three years ago, the trader whose customers have disappeared, the farmer crushed by transportation and input costs, the student burdened by higher fees, and the family that can no longer afford basic food do not need politicians to teach them how hardship feels,” he said.

“Tinubu took away their purchasing power. In 2027, they will take away his mandate.”

On the question of a single opposition candidate against the incumbent and APC presidential candidate, Shaibu said that remains a decision for the parties themselves.

“Whether opposition parties ultimately agree on a common candidate is a matter for the respective parties and the democratic processes guiding them,” he stated.

“What is increasingly clear, however, is that Nigerians themselves are finding common ground: the cost of living is unbearable, the present economic direction has failed ordinary families, and the country urgently needs a government that will make life affordable again.”

He, however, said that voters will determine 2027.

“So, while political cooperation can strengthen the opposition, the greatest force against a repeat of 2023 will be the Nigerian voter. Hunger does not belong to ADC, PDP, Labour or APC. Poverty has no party card,” Shaibu said.

“The real coalition in 2027 will be the coalition of Nigerians determined to recover the purchasing power President Tinubu took from them.”

They are confused elements —APC

The ruling APC, however, has said it is neither bothered nor rattled by the Monday summit of the opposition parties.

Speaking with Sunday Tribune in a telephone interview, National Publicity Secretary of the party, Senator Ajibola Bashiru, dismissed the group as confused elements.

He said:” Nothing concrete will come out of them. We will rather concentrate on our campaigns on how to win the next general elections and consolidate on our achievements. Their sense of entitlement to transportation will lead them to nowhere.”

Honourable Bala Ibrahim, APC Director of Publicity, said Nigerians are satisfied with the performance of Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration and would continue to vote for it.

He said:” We aren’t rattled. Their gang-up won’t in any way make us have sleepless nights.

“We have the support of Nigerians; G-100 can’t be greater than G-Nigeria. Nigerians are satisfied with us and will want to continue with APC.”