Pat Utomi, professor of Political Economy, is set to lead fresh negotiations with major opposition presidential candidates as pressure mounts for the parties to unite behind a single candidate against President Bola Tinubu in the 2027 election.
Utomi-led Movement for Credible Elections (MCE) said the consultations with the candidates and their party leaders would be conducted behind closed doors and concluded within two weeks.
James Ezema, media coordinator of MCE, disclosed this in a statement, saying the initiative was designed to address the recurring problem of opposition coalitions agreeing on the need for unity but failing to agree on who should lead them.
Among those expected to participate are Atiku Abubakar of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Peter Obi of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Adewole Adebayo of the Social Democratic Party (SDP), Seyi Makinde of the Allied Peoples Movement (APM), Donald Duke of the Peoples Redemption Party (PRP), Sandy Onor of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Peter Agada of the Young Progressives Party (YPP) and Omoyele Sowore of the African Action Congress (AAC).
MCE said the process would be based on ‘credibility, transparency, fairness, due process and a level playing field’, with participating candidates required to commit to respecting the eventual outcome.
The movement said its criteria would include national acceptability, competence, integrity, leadership profile, policy orientation and capacity to unite diverse interests.
‘The Nigerian people deserve more than a coalition of political personalities. They deserve a coalition of ideas, competence, values and a coherent ideological programme,’ MCE said.
The initiative comes amid separate efforts by opposition figures and groups to forge a common platform ahead of the 2027 presidential election.