Opposition Must Unite To Unseat Incumbent, Says Nnenna Ukeje

Former member of the House of Representatives and member of the G100 Group, Hon. Nnenna Ukeje, has warned that opposition political parties in Nigeria may struggle to defeat an incumbent government if they contest the 2027 elections individually.

Ukeje said the G100 initiative was designed to provide a platform for opposition parties and stakeholders to return to the negotiating table, engage in meaningful discussions and explore areas of cooperation ahead of the elections.

Speaking on the coalition efforts with Charles Aniagolu of Arise TV on Monday, Ukeje stressed that the objective was not initially to force the various opposition parties to collapse into one political party, but to create an environment where they could discuss their differences and determine a workable path forward.

She noted that most political coalitions begin with disagreements before gradually evolving into stronger arrangements, adding that the process would require patience and compromise from the various political actors.

According to her, three committees have been established to advance the coalition discussions. They include committees on leadership, media and legal matters.

She explained that the leadership committee would deliberate on how the parties and stakeholders could work together, while the media committee would address the need for opposition groups to stop attacking one another and instead focus their attention on challenging the incumbent.

Ukeje said the legal committee was also important because several of the opposition parties and their members were currently facing legal disputes, many of which could resurface as the political process progresses.

She recalled that some of the same actors had previously met in Ibadan, but the coalition effort subsequently suffered a setback after the New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP) reportedly withdrew from the arrangement.

According to her, the G100 initiative is now seeking to revive the conversation by creating a neutral platform where the various political interests can return to the table and determine how best to proceed.

“The G100 is creating a platform for them to get back in the room and begin having a conversation,” Ukeje said.

She maintained that the arithmetic of elections made cooperation essential, arguing that opposition parties contesting separately would find it difficult to defeat an incumbent.

“They all recognise that it’s an arithmetic situation; they all recognise that if they go it individually, the chances of unseating an incumbent are very difficult,” she said.

Ukeje, however, acknowledged that bringing the various opposition interests together would not be easy, given the competing ambitions and personalities involved.

She said the process would require “a lot of candour” and “a lot of sacrifice,” noting that the discussions would be ongoing rather than a one-off engagement.

“There are bigwigs, there are big egos in the room, and there are ambitions as well in the room. It’s going to take a lot of candour; it’s going to take a lot of sacrifice,” she added.