By Tracy Moses
The Minority Caucus of the House of Representatives has urged opposition political parties, leaders and presidential aspirants to set aside personal ambitions and work together to defeat the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the 2027 general elections.
The caucus made the call on Tuesday in Abuja after a closed-door meeting with representatives of G-100, a group campaigning for a stronger and more cohesive opposition ahead of the elections.
Speaking with journalists after the meeting, the Minority Leader of the House, Hon. Frederick Y. Agbedi (PDP), said the caucus and G-100 had agreed to deepen their partnership and mobilise opposition forces towards providing Nigerians with a credible alternative in 2027.
Agbedi said the meeting focused on strengthening the existing relationship between the Minority Caucus and G-100, as well as developing strategies for greater cooperation among opposition parties.
“We also decided that we use this opportunity to call on all opposition stakeholders, particularly the leaders of the various parties and presidential candidates, to begin to develop the attitude of working together, such that we will be able to upset the dehumanising government of the APC and President Bola Ahmed Tinubu that we have in office today,” he said.
The Minority Leader said the call for opposition unity was driven by what he described as the hardship and frustration confronting Nigerians.
He argued that political differences and individual ambitions should not prevent opposition leaders from working together in response to the concerns of citizens.
“Nigerians are seriously in pain. Nigerians are willing, Nigerians are so frustrated, and there is no reason why our opposition voices, we should not stand up for Nigerians, and bring support to them,” Agbedi said.
He urged opposition politicians, irrespective of their parties or personal ambitions, to prioritise the national interest and pursue a common objective ahead of the 2027 elections.
“We have also used this opportunity to decide that we call on all members of opposition, no matter the party you belong, no matter your ambition, that there is strength in unity, and that opposition should unite, to ensure that we wrestle power from the APC in 2027,” he said.
The meeting came amid G-100’s campaign for greater coordination among opposition parties and political actors ahead of the 2027 elections.
In an open letter titled “The Doctrine of a Necessary Democratic Opposition,” the group called on opposition leaders, political stakeholders, civil society organisations and Nigerians committed to democracy to support the emergence of a strong opposition capable of providing voters with a credible alternative.
G-100 argued that fragmentation among opposition parties could weaken democratic accountability, particularly when personal ambitions are allowed to take precedence over broader national interests.
The group called for negotiations among opposition leaders towards developing a common purpose, programme and electoral strategy for 2027, including the possibility of adopting a single presidential candidate.
It, however, said such an arrangement should not be based on the imposition of a candidate but on negotiations aimed at creating a platform through which opposition leaders could work together and place national interest above individual political ambitions.
The Minority Caucus and G-100 also agreed to work towards an opposition summit scheduled for August 31, where further discussions on cooperation and strategies for the 2027 elections are expected to take place.
Osun election
The lawmakers also commented on the recently concluded Osun State governorship election, commending voters for what they described as their determination to protect their democratic choice.
“Congratulations goes to the people of Osun State. Without the determination of the people, be it INEC or whoever, we wouldn’t have democracy saved in our true state,” Agbedi said.
He urged Nigerians to draw lessons from the Osun election by protecting the sanctity of their votes and resisting attempts to influence their choices.
“And I want to use this opportunity to tell Nigerians, Osun has just shown an example. No matter what the APC is giving to you or wants to give to you, no matter how much anybody wants to compromise you, stand up to your bidding that in democracy, my vote is sacred, and you vote for your liberation,” he said.
While acknowledging the role of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in the Osun election, Agbedi said the commission still had more work to do to guarantee transparent and credible elections.
“Whether INEC has proved herself or not, I don’t think that the election was 100 per cent. And so, we are not here to begin to say that INEC has done well,” he said.
According to him, INEC’s primary responsibility is to ensure that electoral outcomes accurately reflect the choices of voters.
“INEC’s duty is to supervise the election and ensure that whatever the results are, that the people themselves decided should be announced. And so they have no responsibility other than that,” he said.
Agbedi nevertheless acknowledged the electoral commission’s role in the Osun process, while urging it to improve its procedures ahead of future elections.
“So we thank them for standing with the people, but they need to do more to ensure that we have a transparent, fair and credible election,” he said.
Unity and presidential candidate
On whether opposition parties would ultimately present a united front in 2027, Agbedi expressed confidence that the various political leaders could work together, although he stopped short of committing the opposition to a single presidential candidate.
“I can always tell you that unity is power. And we have urged all our leaders, who have one ambition or the other, to work together, to ensure that we deliver Nigerians,” he said.
He explained that opposition unity did not necessarily mean that all parties would be required to field a single candidate, stressing that the overriding objective should be finding a strategy capable of producing the desired political outcome.
“In delivering Nigerians, it does not necessarily mean that it’s one candidate, but whatever that it will require to do, to deliver Nigeria, we will do together as opposition,” he said.
The comments come as political parties and opposition groups intensify consultations ahead of the 2027 elections, with the possibility of alliances, mergers and a coordinated presidential challenge to the APC increasingly dominating political discussions.
For the Minority Caucus and G-100, however, the immediate task is to persuade opposition leaders to move beyond individual political calculations and establish a workable framework for cooperation before the election campaign gathers full momentum.