The G100 has commenced consultations with leaders of six opposition political parties ahead of a proposed summit aimed at strengthening cooperation before the 2027 general elections.
The group said its representatives had held discussions with leaders of 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).
In a statement issued on Monday by Salihu Lukman on behalf of the G100, the group said the engagements involved national chairmen, presidential candidates and running mates of the affected parties.
The consultations followed the release of the G100’s August 2 open letter to opposition leaders, civil society groups and Nigerians, in which it articulated what it described as the Doctrine of Necessary Democratic Opposition.
The group said it deliberately conducted the engagements away from the media because of the sensitivity of the discussions.
“We have deliberately kept these consultations away from the glare of the media, in recognition of the sensitivity of many of the discussions and the need to allow party leaders to engage frankly and constructively without the pressure of premature public commentary,” it said.
According to the organisation, preserving the integrity of the talks was more important than publicising every meeting.
The G100 described the engagements so far as frank, constructive and encouraging.
The group said discussions with the political parties showed a growing recognition that opposition forces needed to work more closely together before the 2027 elections.
It added that party leaders acknowledged that building an effective opposition would require compromise and sacrifice.
“The leaders we have engaged have also acknowledged that achieving a credible and effective opposition will require sacrifice, compromise and a willingness to place the larger interests of the country above narrow partisan or individual considerations,” the statement read.
The G100 said the convergence of views was encouraging but stressed that goodwill needed to be converted into a workable framework.
The group announced that preparations were underway for a Summit of Opposition Parties scheduled for Tuesday, August 18, in Abuja.
According to the G100, the summit will provide the participating parties with a formal platform to discuss possible modalities for greater unity.
The organisation linked the initiative to the principles contained in the Ibadan Declaration, particularly the proposal that opposition parties should develop a credible pathway towards presenting a united and competitive alternative in 2027.
The G100 said it would not impose any particular arrangement on the opposition parties.
It described its role as facilitating dialogue, building trust and creating an environment in which the parties could discuss cooperation and accommodation.
“The G100 does not presume to dictate the outcome of these conversations,” the statement said.
“Our role is to facilitate dialogue, build confidence and help create the conditions in which the participating political parties can openly consider the difficult questions of cooperation, sacrifice, accommodation and collective action.”
The group said any framework eventually adopted must recognise the legitimate interests of the participating parties while prioritising the interests of Nigerians.
The organisation said it was working with representatives of the parties to finalise arrangements for the August 18 summit.
It maintained that sustainable political cooperation could not be imposed but had to be negotiated and collectively accepted.
The G100 also reiterated its argument that Nigeria’s democracy would be stronger if voters were presented with a credible opposition alternative.
“At this critical moment in our national journey, fragmentation among those seeking to provide that alternative serves neither the opposition nor the Nigerian people,” it said.
The group described the consultations conducted over the past week as an initial step and said achieving greater opposition unity would require patience, courage and sacrifice.
