Public affairs analyst and opposition chieftain, Salihu Lukman, has disclosed that Cardinal John Onaiyekan urged opposition parties and presidential candidates, including Atiku Abubakar of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) and Peter Obi of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), to unite ahead of the 2027 general elections.
In a statement on Friday, Lukman said the cleric made the call during a meeting with members of the opposition coalition, where he emphasised the need for a united opposition to challenge President Bola Tinubu in the next presidential election.
Lukman, a leading figure in the G100 opposition coalition group, said Cardinal Onaiyekan was emphatic about the importance of unity among opposition leaders in the effort to prevent Tinubu’s re-election in 2027.
He disclosed that members of the coalition informed the cleric of their efforts to ensure that opposition parties present a single presidential candidate against the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
According to Lukman, the Cardinal expressed support for the initiative, describing a strong opposition as essential to sustaining Nigeria’s democratic traditions.
He quoted the cleric as saying:
“His Eminence expressed support for the efforts of opposition parties and their candidates to unite ahead of the 2027 elections to build a robust opposition, which is vital to the sustenance of Nigeria’s democratic traditions.
“He expressed his joy at the signal that Nigerians will have real and credible choices to enable citizens to decide their future and leaders next year.
“His Eminence emphasised the role of competent, honest and sympathetic leaders in resolving the multiple problems which combine to make decent lives for our citizens difficult or impossible to sustain,” Lukman stated.
DAILY POST reports that Lukman had earlier indicated that Atiku, Obi and other opposition leaders would soon make public their position on the possibility of presenting a joint presidential candidate ahead of the 2027 general elections.