​The convener of the G100 political pressure group, Mallam Salihu Lukman, has announced that opposition political parties collaborating under the coalition’s framework could unveil a single consensus presidential candidate for the 2027 general elections as late as a few days before the ballot.
​Speaking during an interview on Channels Television’s current affairs program, Hard Copy, Lukman revealed that ongoing negotiations among major opposition leaders are making steady progress despite deep-seated political hurdles.
​According to Lukman, a former APC National Vice-Chairman, the single greatest barrier facing opposition unity is a profound “trust deficit” among individual political parties and their respective candidates.
​To bridge this gap, a high-level national opposition summit held in Abuja on August 31, 2026, resolved to establish five distinct strategic working groups. One of these core panels has been exclusively tasked with engineering a workable framework and roadmap to produce a unified national standard-bearer.
​”I can tell you categorically, and my confidence about that comes from what I see in the leadership of the parties. They are committed, and they are working, taking all the steps necessary,” Lukman stated during the broadcast.
​Addressing the timeline for a final decision, Lukman noted that tactical realities might necessitate keeping cards close to the chest. “Depending on how the consultations progress, a public announcement could be made two months, a few weeks, or even only days before the election,” he added.
​The G100 convener strongly cautioned that splintering the anti-establishment vote among five or more separate party tickets would virtually guarantee victory for the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in 2027.
He appealed directly to the supporters of prominent opposition heavyweights, such as former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar and former Anambra State Governor Peter Obi, to urge their leaders toward pragmatic compromise rather than insisting on individual entitlement.
​In a bid to safeguard his own neutrality and quiet criticisms regarding partisan bias, Lukman confirmed that he temporarily suspended his membership in the African Democratic Congress (ADC). He explained that stepping away from active party lines allows him to serve effectively as an independent mediator within the broader G100 coalition structure without conflicts of interest.
​As discussions continue across various political fronts, the G100 leadership maintains that the immediate priority remains cementing mutual understanding, finalizing structural frameworks, and establishing a unified minimum program of action before the intense countdown to the 2027 polls.
