Atiku, Obi, Makinde Reject G-100 Push for Single Opposition Candidate

Three major opposition figures—Atiku Abubakar (former Vice-President), Peter Obi (ex-Anambra Governor), and Seyi Makinde (Oyo State Governor)—have rejected entreaties to abandon their 2027 presidential bids. The G-100 Alliance has mounted considerable efforts urging these leaders to coalesce behind one candidate, yet all three have steadfastly refused to relinquish their political aspirations.

Operating through separate parties—the African Democratic Congress, Nigeria Democratic Congress, and Allied Peoples' Movement respectively—each remains committed to pursuing his own path to the presidency. In Abuja at the Shehu Musa Yar'Adua Centre, the G-100 Coalition convened a major summit bringing together representatives from six opposition parties.

This coalition, comprising various political groups and stakeholders, endeavours to construct a unified opposition movement against President Bola Tinubu and the ruling All Progressives Congress. The organization imposed a deadline of September 30 to settle on a consensus nominee.

However, supporters of Atiku, Obi, and Makinde have made abundantly clear their intention to remain in the presidential contest, significantly complicating the coalition's consolidation strategy. Ambassador Umanu Elijah, a G-100 member, expressed optimism that ongoing dialogue among opposition figures would eventually yield agreement, though currently no unified position has crystallized.

The three powerful contenders' unwillingness to withdraw underscores profound fractures within Nigeria's opposition sphere, where loyalty to particular individuals and party machinery supersedes unified strategic direction. This impasse threatens fragmentation of opposition forces heading into 2027, which could bolster the electoral position of the ruling All Progressives Congress and President Tinubu considerably.

Atiku commands substantial reach across northern regions; Obi appeals strongly to younger voters and southern constituencies; Makinde exercises significant power throughout Oyo State. The G-100 initiative aimed specifically at forestalling this scenario: preventing influential candidates from dividing anti-government support across different regions and generational lines.