Cardinal Onaiyekan Urges Opposition Unity for 2027 Elections

Cardinal John Onaiyekan, the former Catholic Archbishop of Abuja, revealed that he has a preferred opposition leader to challenge the incumbent president in the 2027 general election. He cautioned that divisions among opposition leaders could allow the ruling party to maintain its power, as votes against the ruling party would be split among multiple candidates.

During an interview on the Naija Unfiltered Podcast, Onaiyekan emphasized the importance of opposition figures uniting to present a credible alternative to the current administration. He urged Nigerians dissatisfied with the government's performance to hold elected officials accountable through their votes.

Onaiyekan rejected the notion that elections could not bring about meaningful change and warned against any suggestions of returning to military rule. He stressed that the central question for the upcoming election is whether opposition parties can offer a convincing alternative to the current government.

He advocated for a coalition among opposition leaders to avoid splitting votes and to mount a serious challenge to the ruling party.