By Hosea Parah
The Kabiru Tanimu Turaki-led faction of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has endorsed the G-100 initiative to create an all-opposition front ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The faction made its position known in a statement issued on Tuesday by its National Publicity Secretary, Ini Ememobong, following the first G-100 meeting held on Monday at the Shehu Musa Yar’Adua Centre in Abuja.
The summit brought together representatives of opposition parties to discuss possible areas of cooperation and the prospect of presenting a common candidate against the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in 2027.
The PDP faction said its decision to participate was driven by what it described as the hardship Nigerians were experiencing under the President Bola Tinubu-led APC administration.
The statement read, “The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), as a responsible opposition party, has endorsed the G-100 (a group of 100 opposition stalwarts) driven process of creating an all-opposition front to challenge the incumbent APC candidate in the 2027 general elections.”
The party said the move was informed by “the wailings of Nigerians groaning under the repressive Bola Tinubu APC-led Federal Government, and the compelling need to join forces with other credible political forces in search of the country’s redemption.”
The faction quoted its National Chairman, Kabiru Tanimu Turaki, as saying the party’s participation was based on the principles guiding the G-100 process.
“Our participation is anchored on the promise that the process will be hinged on the philosophical underpinnings of transparency, equality, data-driven decisions and egalitarianism. Any result birthed by a process midwifed by these virtues will certainly offer Nigerians a credible leadership capable of alleviating the skyrocketing poverty and rising insecurity in the country,” Turaki said.
The party said its participation was consistent with its earlier position of working with political parties and organisations seeking to challenge the APC.
“This new move aligns with our earlier stated disposition of working with like-minded political parties and organisations desirous of salvaging the country from the many vices orchestrated by the ruling APC,” he said.
It said its participation in Monday’s meeting was “a further indication of our preparedness to contribute our quota in the quest for an all-opposition platform that will take power from the incumbent and rebuild Nigeria for the good of all Nigerians.”
The G-100 summit, which was attended by representatives of six opposition parties, agreed to begin a structured negotiation process on opposition cooperation ahead of the 2027 elections.
The parties agreed to establish standing committees and working groups to develop proposals on opposition unity, a national reform programme and a roadmap towards a common presidential candidate.
The move comes amid efforts by opposition parties to avoid a repeat of the 2023 presidential election, when votes were divided among several opposition candidates, including Atiku Abubakar, Peter Obi and Rabiu Kwankwaso.
The ADC National Publicity Secretary, Bolaji Abdullahi, subsequently said Atiku’s absence was not consequential because the meeting was primarily about cooperation among political parties rather than presidential candidates.