2027: Utomi leads talks with Atiku, Obi on single candidate

by · The Eagle Online

Professor of Political Economy, Pat Utomi, will lead the Movement for Credible Elections in closed-door talks with major opposition presidential candidates as part of efforts to produce a single candidate to challenge President Bola Tinubu and the All Progressives Congress in the 2027 presidential election.

The meetings with the candidates and leaders of their parties are expected to be concluded within two weeks, according to the MCE.

Those expected to be engaged include Atiku Abubakar of the African Democratic Congress, Peter Obi of the Nigeria Democratic Congress, Adewole Adebayo of the Social Democratic Party, Seyi Makinde of the Allied People’s Movement, Donald Duke of the People’s Redemption Party, Sandy Onor of the Peoples Democratic Party, Peter Agada of the Young Progressives Party and Omoyele Sowore of the African Action Congress.

The development was disclosed in a statement by the Media Coordinator of the MCE, James Ezema.

The statement said the Utomi-led Political Commission would hold the meetings behind closed doors to prevent what it described as sabotage by “political mercenaries and jobbers” opposed to the initiative.

It said the engagements were intended to avoid a repeat of previous opposition arrangements in which political actors agreed on the need for a united front but disagreed when it became necessary to select a candidate to lead the alliance.

The statement read, “The Prof Pat Utomi-led Political Commission initiated by Movement for Credible Elections, MCE, to actualise Opposition Coalition for a Single Presidential Candidate in the 2027 Elections has decided to meet shortlisted opposition presidential candidates and their party leaders behind closed doors ahead of its tactical session scheduled to hold in Ibadan in a fortnight.

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“The rationale for the closed-door engagements, the commission said, is to prevent sabotage from political mercenaries and jobbers opposed to the initiative and determined to frustrate the negotiations and horse-trading amongst the shortlisted presidential candidates.

“Nigeria cannot afford another opposition arrangement in which political actors agree on the need for a united front but disagree when it becomes necessary to determine the arrowhead and rallying point of that electoral alliance.”

MCE said the selection process would be based on credibility, transparency, fairness, due process and a level playing field, stressing that the modalities and terms of endorsement would be agreed upon by all participating candidates and parties.

The movement said the criteria for evaluating the aspirants would include “national acceptability, competence, integrity, leadership profile, political electability, policy orientation, commitment to democratic institutions, capacity to unite the country and ability to work with diverse social interests.”

It added that the process would also consider the candidates’ understanding of Nigerian political and democratic issues, including what it described as the national constitutional question.

MCE said the proposed coalition would be anchored on a clearly articulated national programme that Nigerians could scrutinise before being asked to support any candidate.

“The Nigerian people deserve more than a coalition of political personalities. They deserve a coalition of ideas, competence, values and a coherent ideological programme for national salvation,” it stated.

The movement said the process would produce not only a consensus candidate but also a common democratic and governance agenda to address insecurity, economic hardship, unemployment, poverty, institutional decay, electoral integrity, constitutional reform, education, healthcare, energy and the high cost of governance.

It said its role was not to impose a candidate on any political party or aspirant but to facilitate a credible process through which the opposition could arrive at a broadly acceptable political arrangement.

“The ultimate objective would be to offer Nigerians a credible people-oriented governance of the Nigerian opposition and not merely another side of the same coin, and that political negotiation is inevitable in a democratic coalition as those who genuinely seek to present a democratic alternative to Nigerians must be prepared to make personal sacrifices, accommodate others and recognise that no single individual or political party can on their own compete formidably against the party in power.”

The MCE initiative comes against the backdrop of other efforts to bring opposition parties together ahead of the 2027 elections.

In August, a coalition of 100 concerned Nigerians under the banner of G100 called on opposition leaders to bury personal ambitions and negotiate an electoral arrangement built around a single presidential candidate, common programme and strategy.

The G100, in its “Doctrine of a Necessary Democratic Opposition,” specifically appealed to opposition figures including former Vice President Abubakar, Obi, Makinde, Bala Mohammed, Seriake Dickson, Rotimi Amaechi, Rabiu Kwankwaso and Rauf Aregbesola to place national interest above personal ambition.

The group subsequently held consultations with opposition parties, including the ADC, APM, NDC, PDP, PRP and SDP, as part of efforts to establish a framework for cooperation ahead of the 2027 election.

Utomi would be joined in the MCE engagements by Maryam Ciroma, Modupe Adelaja, Solomon Dalung, Uche Onyeagocha, Olusegun Mayegun, Sam Amadi, Mike Iginni, Obongawan Barbara Etim James, Olawale Okunniyi and Dr Adum Ter Alex, among others.

MCE urged all stakeholders to approach the negotiations with an open mind and put the country’s democratic future ahead of personal interests.

It, however, said every participating presidential candidate and party would be required to commit in advance to respecting the outcome of the process and supporting the coalition’s adopted presidential candidate in the 2027 election.

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