2027: Salihu Lukman Says Opposition Heading For Repeat Of 2023 Mistake

Former All Progressives Congress (APC) National Vice-Chairman, Salihu Lukman, has warned that Nigeria’s opposition parties are on course to repeat the mistakes that weakened their chances in the 2023 general elections unless they unite ahead of the 2027 polls.

Speaking on Arise News’ The Morning Show on Friday, Lukman said he suspended his membership of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) out of frustration with what he described as the inability of opposition leaders to put aside personal ambitions and build a united political platform capable of challenging the ruling APC.

Some analysts blamed the split within the ranks of the opposition for the ruling APC’s victory in the 2023 presidential election. The ruling APC’s Bola Tinubu secured 8.8 million votes. The major opposition parties: PDP’s Atiku Abubakar got 6.9 million votes; Labour Parties, Peter Obi got 6.1 million votes, and NNPP’s Rabiu Kwankwaso got 1.5 million votes.

Ahead of the 2027 election, talks of the opposition producing a single candidate after a meeting in Ibadan, Oyo State, early this year collapsed as the PDP, ADC, NDC, APM have all fielded presidential candidates to battle against APC’s Tinubu.

While welcoming the recent Court of Appeal judgment that cleared the ADC and other political parties to participate in the 2027 elections, Lukman argued that the ruling did not address the fundamental crisis confronting the opposition.

“As a Nigerian, I’m not excited by all this development because if you recall, as an advocate of the coalition and the unity of the opposition leaders, when we started about two years ago, the objective was basically two: to get the opposition leaders united, and to also factor the need to build a party that can hold elected leaders accountable,” he said.

Lukman’s remarks come about two weeks after he announced the suspension of his ADC membership and withdrew from the opposition coalition, citing internal challenges within the party.

He expressed concern that opposition parties appeared determined to adopt the same strategy they used in 2023 while expecting a different outcome.

“As it is today, I think no matter what comes out of the judicial process, we can have a party that can contest the election. But I see us going back to 2023, repeating almost the same things that happened in 2023 and expect miracle to happen,” he said.

According to Lukman, Nigerians are seeking a credible political alternative capable of delivering accountable leadership amid the country’s economic and social challenges.

He warned that the opposition’s inability to resolve internal disputes could ultimately strengthen the APC ahead of the next general election.

“The hope and expectation is that election will produce competition on the basis of which better new leadership can emerge. So far, as a nation, it seems we are not approaching that at all,” he added.

Lukman also confirmed that he was no longer speaking as an ADC member after suspending his membership due to frustrations with developments within the opposition.

“I am not speaking here as an ADC member. In fact, about two weeks ago, out of frustration, I announced suspension of my membership. Because look, we are faced with a serious challenge,” he said.

Despite stepping away from the party, Lukman said he remains open to returning if it would help reunite opposition leaders and revive negotiations.

“I am ready to return my membership of ADC on the basis of ensuring that we bring all leaders of ADC back to the negotiation table. Nigeria is bigger than ADC,” he stated.

He stressed that any coalition for the 2027 elections should not revolve around individual ambitions but instead be guided by objective criteria for selecting the strongest candidate capable of defeating the APC.

“It’s not about ADC or NDC or any other party, but people must agree to come and negotiate terms on the basis of which, if it is the ADC candidate that will be adopted, that will be objective criteria that will convince everybody that is the right way to go,” he said.

Lukman further criticised opposition leaders for focusing primarily on removing the APC from power without presenting Nigerians with a clear policy alternative.

He argued that a credible opposition must demonstrate commitments to sound policies, accountability and effective governance, while ensuring elected officials are held responsible for implementing campaign promises.

“If we can come and make declarative statements about policy commitment, the extent to which we can get our candidates and when they get elected, accountable and regulated in such a way that they conduct themselves to implement those policies, that is the challenge,” he said.

He disclosed that consultations with key stakeholders were already underway to bring opposition leaders back to the negotiating table.

“We are doing consultation and within the next one week, we should be able to come out and say, this is how we are proceeding,” Lukman said.