Former APC National Vice Chairman (North-West), Salihu Lukman, has called on Nigeria’s opposition parties to set aside personal ambitions and unite ahead of the 2027 general election, warning that failure to build a common front could hand the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) another electoral victory.
Speaking on the state of opposition politics, Lukman said many Nigerians were becoming increasingly frustrated with what he described as the inability of opposition leaders to present a credible alternative to the current administration.
“As a Nigerian, and I’m sure I’ll be speaking the minds of many Nigerians, we are all troubled by the fact that here we are, faced with an APC government and an elected leadership that is hardly accountable. By the day, by the hour, things keep getting worse,” he said.
According to Lukman, elections are expected to offer citizens genuine political choices capable of producing better leadership, but warned that the opposition risks repeating the mistakes that weakened its chances in the 2023 elections.
Lukman argued that personal political ambitions had become the greatest obstacle to opposition unity.
“We must ask ourselves: Is the personal ambition of leaders in the opposition far more important than the destiny of the country? Are they unable to make the personal sacrifices required to unite and rescue Nigeria?” he asked.
Expressing frustration over the current state of opposition politics, he said he wanted the APC voted out of office in 2027 but believed the opposition’s current approach would not achieve that objective.
“I want the APC and President Bola Ahmed Tinubu defeated out of government in 2027. But the way we are going about it, I’m frustrated. I must be honest,” Lukman stated.
He disclosed that consultations had already begun among politicians and stakeholders to persuade opposition leaders to return to the negotiating table.
“We have begun consultations with many like-minded people, both within the opposition and beyond. It’s either they unite or they stop wasting the time of Nigerians,” he said.
According to him, contesting the 2027 election with the same fragmented strategy adopted in 2023 would likely produce similar outcomes.
Lukman clarified that his comments were made in his personal capacity and not as a representative of the African Democratic Congress (ADC).
He revealed that he had suspended his membership of the party about two weeks earlier due to frustrations over developments within the opposition.
“Partisan affiliation will not get us out of this mess. Nigeria is bigger than the ADC. If we are to move forward and present a new template in 2027 that will inspire confidence among Nigerians, it is not about the ADC or any other party,” he said.
He added that whichever political party eventually produces a presidential candidate for any coalition should emerge through an agreed, transparent and objective process acceptable to all stakeholders.
Lukman said policy proposals alone would not solve Nigeria’s governance challenges unless elected leaders demonstrated accountability.
He recalled serving as secretary of a 50-member committee that developed policy recommendations but stressed that implementation remained the real challenge.
“The real issue is not making declarative statements about policy. The real issue is whether candidates, when elected, will be accountable enough to implement those policies,” he said.
He lamented that Nigerians increasingly faced limited political choices, saying confidence in both the ruling party and sections of the opposition had weakened.
Lukman argued that the APC had benefited from divisions within the opposition, enabling it to project confidence despite widespread public dissatisfaction.
He also responded to suggestions that former Vice President Atiku Abubakar’s presidential ambition was the primary obstacle to opposition unity, insisting that the country’s future should take precedence over individual aspirations.
“The solution to the problem facing the country is not about what you and I want. It is about how we humble ourselves to come up with the right skills and initiatives that will enable us achieve the right result,” he said.
On the detention of former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai, Lukman said the development reflected broader concerns about the health of Nigeria’s democracy.
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He warned that prolonged detention of political figures could signal the emergence of authoritarian tendencies if democratic institutions are not strengthened.
Lukman also questioned comments by President Bola Tinubu regarding the neutrality of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), arguing that the electoral body should demonstrate its independence through its actions rather than rely on endorsements from political leaders.
He further advocated reforms to reduce the heavy deployment of security agencies during elections, saying Nigeria should gradually move towards elections conducted as normal civic exercises similar to practices in some neighbouring countries.
According to him, credible institutions, transparent electoral processes and a united opposition are essential if the 2027 general election is to provide Nigerians with a genuine opportunity for democratic change.
