The opposition coalition being developed by parties that attended the August 31 summit in Abuja has moved into an implementation phase, with its leadership committee beginning work on structures for the proposed alliance ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The Central Leadership Committee, constituted at the summit, held its first meeting on Wednesday, September 16, and adopted guidelines to regulate the coalition’s operations.
In a statement issued on Thursday by G-100 Convener, Salihu Lukman, on behalf of the participating parties, the committee agreed that the chairmanship of its meetings would rotate among member parties in alphabetical order.
The arrangement, according to the coalition, is intended to uphold the principle of equality and ensure that all participating parties have equal standing within the emerging alliance.
“The central leadership agreed to operational principles that would guarantee equal opportunity and mutual respect among coalescing parties,” the statement read.
The committee also began implementing decisions contained in the communiqué from the August summit, including plans to activate the Publicity Committee, Legal Committee and five working groups.
Member parties have been directed to forward the names of their nominees to the coalition secretariat by the close of work on Friday, September 18. The committees and working groups are expected to begin their assignments between September 21 and 27.
The five working groups are tasked with developing proposals on major areas of the proposed cooperation, including opposition unity, a transition framework, a national reform programme and a roadmap for producing a common presidential candidate.
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The Central Leadership Committee also resolved to “expand the coalition to accommodate other opposition parties that have indicated interest in joining the initiative.”
The committee is scheduled to meet again on Wednesday, September 23, as consultations continue on strengthening the structure and expanding participation in the alliance.
The development follows the August 31 opposition summit in Abuja, which brought together representatives of the African Democratic Congress, Allied Peoples Movement, Nigeria Democratic Congress, Peoples Democratic Party, Peoples Redemption Party and Social Democratic Party.
At the summit, the G-100 pushed for the opposition parties to first establish rules and structures for cooperation before tackling contentious issues such as leadership and the selection of candidates.
Lukman said the initiative was not intended to dissolve the participating parties or make them surrender their individual identities. Instead, the proposed framework was designed to enable them to work together while retaining their separate structures and interests.
The summit also considered a proposal for a Government of National Competence to operate under a single four-year transition term, with further details to be developed by the working groups and considered by the participating parties.
The creation of the leadership committee and activation of the various committees mark a transition from preliminary consultations to the practical implementation of the proposed coalition.
However, issues including the structure of leadership, the choice of a common presidential candidate and the terms governing cooperation remain to be worked out as the parties continue negotiations.
The Central Leadership Committee said it would maintain regular meetings as part of efforts to strengthen cooperation and develop a coordinated platform ahead of the 2027 elections.