Key opposition figures, including former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and former Anambra State Governor Peter Obi, will converge in Abuja on Monday, August 31, 2026, for the First Summit of Nigeria’s Opposition Political Parties, convened by the reformist coalition G100.
The summit, scheduled to hold at the Yar’Adua Centre, is themed “A Framework for Opposition Cooperation and Coordination.” It will bring together leaders of six major opposition parties to begin structured negotiations on the principles, institutions, and mechanisms for cooperation ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Building a Framework, Not Picking Candidates
In a statement signed by G100 Convener Salihu Moh. Lukman, the group clarified that the summit is not intended to decide presidential candidacy in one sitting but to establish a formal architecture for transparent and collective negotiations.
“The first question before party leaders is not who leads the ticket. It is what we are, together, prepared to do for this country,” Lukman stated.
The summit follows the G100’s publication of the Doctrine of a Necessary Democratic Opposition earlier this month and weeks of consultations with the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Allied Peoples Movement (APM), Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Peoples Redemption Party (PRP), and Social Democratic Party (SDP).
Structure of the Talks
Among the proposals before the summit is the creation of five specialised Working Groups, which, if approved, will have four weeks to develop principal documents and agreements to give institutional form to opposition cooperation.
Each participating party is expected to attend with a delegation drawn from its National Working Committee (NWC) and other key constituencies, ensuring broad representation beyond principal leaders. Expected participants include national chairmen, NWC members, presidential candidates and running mates of the parties, as well as G100 signatories and members of the Minority Caucus of the House of Representatives.
A Collective Responsibility
Lukman stressed that the G100 is convening the summit as a facilitator and observer, not as a substitute for the constitutional authority of the parties.
“The decisions arising from this process will remain the responsibility of the parties themselves,” he added.
Significance
Analysts say the summit represents the most ambitious attempt yet to forge a credible, organised, and competitive opposition bloc in Nigeria’s Fourth Republic. With the 2027 elections looming, the talks could mark a turning point in how opposition parties coordinate strategy, negotiate alliances, and present a united front to challenge the ruling party.
