Opposition parties in Nigeria have agreed to meet on August 31, 2026, as part of efforts to explore cooperation ahead of the 2027 general election and challenge President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s re-election bid.
Salihu Lukman, a senior opposition party leader, disclosed the development on Thursday in a statement issued on behalf of the opposition group, G100. He said the proposed gathering and summit would mark the beginning of structured negotiations on the terms, institutions and principles that could guide cooperation among the parties ahead of the election.
According to Lukman, the decision followed several weeks of direct consultations with the leadership of six opposition parties: the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Allied Peoples Movement (APM), National Democratic Congress (NDC), Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Peoples Redemption Party (PRP) and Social Democratic Party (SDP).
He explained that the consultations produced a document titled A Framework for Opposition Cooperation and Coordination, which identified areas where the participating parties could work together while recognising their different histories, identities and political interests.
Lukman stressed that cooperation would not necessarily require any of the parties to abandon its identity or merge with another. He said the immediate priority was for the opposition leaders to determine what they could collectively offer the country before deciding questions surrounding political leadership and electoral tickets.
The August 31 meeting is therefore expected to provide an opportunity for the participating opposition parties to discuss possible areas of collaboration as political activities ahead of the 2027 general election continue to gather momentum.
