The Democratic Front (TDF) has described the failure of the recently held G100 opposition summit in Abuja to produce a consensus presidential candidate as evidence that opposition parties remain divided and are not capable of posing a serious electoral threat to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in the 2027 presidential election.
In a statement signed by its Chairman, Danjuma Muhammad, and Secretary, Wale Adedayo, the group said the absence of former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and Peter Obi from the summit represented a major setback to efforts to unite opposition parties against the President.
TDF said the summit had been widely expected to advance the opposition’s efforts to present a common candidate but instead exposed deep divisions within the opposition camp.
“We view the conspicuous absence of the presidential candidate of African Democratic Congress (ADC), Atiku Abubakar, and his NDC counterpart, Peter Obi, from the recently held Summit of opposition parties in Abuja, as a major setback in the opposition’s conspiracy to wrest power next year,” the group said.
According to TDF, the summit marked the latest setback in attempts by opposition parties to establish a united platform against President Tinubu in 2027.
The group recalled that Atiku and Obi had previously been involved in efforts to persuade opposition parties to adopt a unified front ahead of the election.
It, however, argued that their emergence as presidential candidates of their respective parties had complicated the push for a single opposition candidate.
TDF accused the two politicians of allowing their individual presidential ambitions to undermine efforts to build a cohesive opposition movement.
The group further alleged that internal disputes, disagreements over party structures, litigations and what it described as a lack of ideological direction had weakened opposition parties across the country.
It also questioned the opposition’s criticism of President Tinubu over alleged moves towards a one-party state, arguing that attempts by multiple political parties to adopt a single presidential candidate could equally undermine the principle of multi-party democracy.
The group said the inability of the opposition parties to reach a consensus on a presidential candidate demonstrated the level of division within their ranks.
TDF consequently maintained that the opposition, as currently constituted, was not sufficiently united or organised to pose a serious electoral challenge to President Tinubu’s re-election bid in 2027.
