The Minority Caucus of the House of Representatives has urged opposition political parties, leaders and presidential aspirants to shelve personal ambitions and unite to wrest power from the All Progressives Congress 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 coordinated opposition ahead of the elections.
G-100 is a group of non-partisan Nigerians pushing for single opposition candidate to tackle President Bola Tinubu in 2027
Speaking with journalists after the meeting, the Minority Leader of the House, Frederick Agbedi (Bayelsa, PDP), said the caucus and G-100 had agreed to deepen their collaboration and play a more active role in mobilising opposition forces ahead of 2027.
Agbedi said the meeting was a continuation of the partnership between the Minority Caucus and G-100, with both sides agreeing that opposition parties needed to work together to strengthen democracy and provide Nigerians with a credible alternative to the ruling APC.
“We 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 Tinubu that we have in office today,” he said.
The Minority Leader said the renewed push for opposition unity was also driven by what he described as the hardship and frustration confronting Nigerians.
“The 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 to look beyond their respective parties and ambitions and place the national interest above individual political calculations.
“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 added.
The development comes amid growing efforts by opposition parties and groups to build a coalition capable of mounting a serious challenge to the APC in 2027.
G-100 has been at the forefront of the campaign for a coordinated opposition and recently issued an open letter titled, “The Doctrine of a Necessary Democratic Opposition,” calling on opposition leaders, political stakeholders, civil society organisations and Nigerians to support the emergence of a stronger democratic alternative.
The group argued that the fragmentation of opposition forces could weaken democratic accountability, particularly where political parties and leaders allow personal ambitions to override broader national interests.
It has consequently called on opposition leaders to negotiate a common purpose, programme and electoral strategy ahead of 2027, including the possibility of adopting a single presidential standard-bearer.
However, G-100 said such an arrangement should emerge from consultation and negotiation rather than the imposition of a candidate, stressing that the ultimate objective should be to place the national interest above individual ambitions.
The Minority Caucus and G-100 also agreed to work towards the opposition summit scheduled for August 31, where discussions on opposition cooperation and strategies for the 2027 elections are expected to continue.
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 through inducement or other forms of electoral manipulation.
“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 noted.
While acknowledging the role played by the Independent National Electoral Commission in the Osun election, Agbedi said the commission still had more work to do to ensure that future elections met the expectations of Nigerians.
“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, the fundamental responsibility of the electoral commission is to ensure that electoral outcomes accurately reflect the choices made by 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.
He nevertheless acknowledged the commission’s role in the Osun process while urging it to strengthen its preparations ahead of the 2027 general 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.
On whether the opposition would eventually present a united front in the 2027 presidential election, Agbedi expressed optimism that the various opposition forces could work together, although he did not commit the caucus 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 stated.
He clarified that opposition unity did not necessarily mean that all parties must field a single presidential candidate, but that they could cooperate towards a common objective.
“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 call comes as the 2027 political season gathers momentum, with the Independent National Electoral Commission having announced August 19, 2026, as the commencement date for public campaigns and rallies.
With the campaign season now open, opposition parties face the challenge of translating calls for unity into a workable political arrangement, particularly as several presidential aspirants and political blocs are already positioning themselves for the contest.
The August 31 opposition summit is expected to provide another opportunity for the various opposition interests to deliberate on possible cooperation, a common programme and a broader strategy for challenging the APC at the polls.
