By Stephen Simon
The ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) has dismissed the latest attempt by opposition parties and political groups to forge a common platform ahead of the 2027 general elections, describing the initiative as a desperate effort that would not threaten its electoral prospects.
The APC’s reaction followed the recent opposition summit and renewed efforts by the G100 coalition and other political actors to unite the fragmented opposition against the ruling party.
Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, who spoke for the APC, described the opposition’s effort as a late scramble for unity and predicted that the initiative would fail to defeat President Bola Tinubu and the ruling party in 2027.
The opposition coalition has argued that its chances of defeating the APC would improve significantly if major opposition parties could agree on a common candidate and coordinate their political structures.
The G100 movement has been at the centre of the effort, urging opposition parties to put aside individual ambitions and work towards a single political arrangement capable of presenting a credible alternative to the APC. Earlier consultations involved parties including the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP), Social Democratic Party and others.
The renewed coalition drive has assumed greater significance with the 2027 elections drawing closer and several opposition politicians positioning themselves for possible presidential and other elective contests.
The APC, however, has maintained that internal divisions within the opposition and the difficulty of reconciling the ambitions of several political figures will ultimately undermine the coalition.
The exchange has added to the increasingly heated political rhetoric surrounding the 2027 election, with both sides attempting to project confidence while mobilising supporters across the country.
For the opposition, the central challenge remains translating calls for unity into an organisational structure capable of surviving disagreements over candidates, party platforms, zoning and political interests.
For the APC, the immediate objective is to preserve its advantage and prevent the emergence of a broad coalition capable of turning the 2027 election into a referendum on the Tinubu administration.
With political realignments expected to intensify in the months ahead, the battle between the ruling party and the emerging opposition coalition is likely to remain one of the dominant political stories on the road to 2027.
