The coalition of opposition parties yesterday continued their search for the platform to use in an effort to realize its objective of defeating President Bola Tinubu and the All Progressives Congress, APC, in the 2027 general election.
Barring any last-minute change, the coalition is expected to make a significant announcement this week.
Feelers from the parties involved, however, indicated that a consensus is yet to be reached on two key issues: The format and platform.
Those who attended yesterday’s meeting includes former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar, 2023 presidential candidate of the Labour Party, LP, Mr. Peter Obi; former Rivers State governor, Mr. Rotimi Amaechi; former Secretary to the Government of the Federation, SGF, Mr. Babachir Lawal; former Osun State governor, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, who sent a representative.
Others are Chairman of the PDP Board of Trustees, Senator Adolphus Wabara; former Cross River State governor, Mr Donald Duke; former Information Minister, Professor Jerry Gana; and some northern stakeholders.
Jigawa delegates disrupt coalition meeting
The meeting was, however, thrown into turmoil after delegates from Jigawa State disrupted proceedings.
The meeting, held at the Abuja Continental Hotel and convened by the National Political Consultative Group, North, was abruptly interrupted, following a heated disagreement regarding representation for Jigawa State.
Tensions flared when former Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Mr Babachir Lawal, introduced a delegate to speak on behalf of Jigawa State.
This move was met with immediate resistance, as several Jigawa delegates stormed the stage, vehemently rejecting the nominee and insisting they would not accept imposed representation.
The confrontation quickly escalated, prompting swift intervention from security personnel, including officers of the Nigerian Police Force, operatives from the Department of State Services, DSS, and private security operatives.
They formed a protective shield around key political figures, including Atiku, Obi, and Amaechi, to prevent further escalation.
Order was eventually restored after several tense minutes, following a series of interventions and appeals.
In a bid to calm the situation, Mustapha Lamido, son of former Jigawa State governor, Sule Lamido, alongside another delegate, were selected to represent the state in the ongoing discussions.
Debate over platforms
While some stakeholders argued in favour of a fresh platform, others argued in favour of fusing into an existing party.
Yet, others are seeking a return to the kind of alliance the defunct Alliance for Democracy, AD, and the All Peoples Party, APP, had by fielding a single candidate.
Last week, the convener of the League of Northern Democrats, LND, Dr Umar Ardo, announced the group’s resolution to support the National Opposition Coalition Group in 2027.
He equally announced LND’s resolution to “contribute to the dialogue on either registering a new political party as a vehicle to drive politics or fusing into an existing political party, whichever is agreed.”
Ardo also revealed that the National Coalition Group set up two committees: one to consider the desirability or feasibility of registering a new political party and two, to consider fusing into an existing political party.
While the committee for fusing into another political party was headed by the former governor of Cross River State, Mr Liyel Imoke; former Rivers State governor, Mr Rotimi Amaechi, would chair the committee on registering a new political party, with the LND convener as secretary.
A new twist was added to the ongoing negotiations, with conflicting kits being flown by the national chairman of African Democratic Congress, ADC, Chief Ralphs Nwosu, who empathically announced that the ADC had been chosen and agreed upon as the platform.
His comments which were followed by those of the 2023 presidential candidate of Labour Party, LP, Mr. Peter Obi, to the effect that he would be contesting on the LP platform, have jolted some coalition stakeholders.
A source privy to the development said: “While one considers the pronouncement by the ADC chairman as pushing forward his platform to be considered ahead of the Social Democratic Party, SDP, being promoted by former Kaduna State governor, Nasir El-Rufai, Obi’s statement came as a surprise.
“We are still consulting, so definitive statements like that could send the wrong signals. We are all aware that the Labour Party is bogged down with internal crises, with up to three factions laying claim to its leadership.
“You don’t hear former Vice President Atiku Abubakar insisting on the PDP in his public engagements.
“However, my reading of the situation is that Obi is probably seeking to negotiate from a position of strength, having learned the political game over the years.”
Nigeria’s problems can be solved from the North — Obi
In continuation of his consultations with stakeholders, Obi met with a cross-section of northern leaders, under the aegis of the National Political Consultative Group, in Abuja.
He explained to the gathering that Northern Nigeria was the future huge asset of the country.
At the meeting which had former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, as part of the audience, Obi described the issue of crime and insecurity in the north as a by-product of poverty.
His words: “The north has voted for religion and tribe in the past; this is the time to vote for something else, a time to consider competence and capacity.”
He recalled that during his days as a banker, Kano, the commercial nerve centre of northern Nigeria was where people went for cash, “but today, all the industries in Kano are gone.”
Obi equally underscored the importance of trust among Nigerians which he stressed was key to tackling the myriads of problems away from ethnic and religious sentiments.
Drawing an inference from some successful agrarian nations as Bangladesh, Netherlands and others, the former Anambra State governor, who spoke amid cheers from the gathering, noted that northern Nigeria had more potential than all these countries but expressed sadness that what was lacking was good governance, good policies and implementation.
