2027: Atiku, Obi, Makinde absent as opposition parties chart path to common candidate

The presidential candidates of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Atiku Abubakar; Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Peter Obi; and Allied Peoples Movement (APM) and Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, were absent as leaders of six major opposition parties converged on Abuja on Monday to begin a structured process towards building a united political platform ahead of the 2027 general election.

The first Summit of Nigeria’s Opposition Political Parties was held at the Shehu Musa Yar’Adua Centre, with representatives of the ADC, APM, NDC, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Peoples Redemption Party (PRP) and Social Democratic Party (SDP) in attendance.

The summit was organised with the participation of the G100 and the Minority Caucus of the House of Representatives as opposition politicians seek to avoid the vote fragmentation that characterised the 2023 presidential election.

Although Atiku, Obi and Makinde were not at the meeting, several presidential and vice-presidential candidates attended, alongside national working committee members and representatives of the boards of trustees of the participating parties.

Those in attendance included SDP presidential candidate Adewole Adebayo, PRP presidential candidate Donald Duke and APM vice-presidential candidate Lawal Musa Daura.

The discussions focused largely on developing a framework that would enable the opposition parties to coordinate their activities, resolve differences and eventually work towards a common presidential candidate for 2027.

Speaking on behalf of the G100, former APC National Vice Chairman Salihu Moh. Lukman proposed the establishment of a Government of National Competence anchored on a single four-year transition term.

Lukman said the proposal was designed to create a government based on competence, integrity, national inclusion and fair representation among parties participating in the proposed alliance.

He said the arrangement should be backed by an enforceable Transition Charter that would commit the parties to a single four-year term and prevent future disagreements from undermining the coalition.

According to Lukman, the opposition should avoid repeating the pattern of political agreements that depend solely on goodwill and personal assurances.

He argued that any agreement reached must be written, witnessed and enforceable, with clearly defined consequences for parties or individuals who violate its provisions.

Lukman also drew lessons from Nigeria’s previous elections, particularly the 2015 presidential election, when opposition parties successfully united under the All Progressives Congress (APC) to defeat the then ruling Peoples Democratic Party.

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He contrasted that outcome with the 2023 presidential election, when votes for major opposition candidates were divided among different platforms.

According to him, the combined votes of the leading opposition candidates were significantly higher than the votes secured by the eventual winner, but the fragmentation of those votes allowed the ruling party to emerge victorious under Nigeria’s electoral system.

Lukman described the 2023 outcome as an arithmetical lesson for the opposition, arguing that parties cannot expect to defeat an established political structure if they continue to divide their support base.

He also cited Kenya’s 2002 election and Malaysia’s 2018 political transition as examples of opposition forces defeating long-standing ruling parties after choosing cooperation over political fragmentation.

To give the proposed alliance a formal structure, the G100 recommended three standing bodies.

The first is a Central Leadership Committee, comprising national chairmen, national secretaries, presidential candidates and vice-presidential candidates of the participating parties. The committee would provide political direction and coordinate the coalition process.

The second is a Publicity and Communication Committee, which would coordinate joint messaging and communication among the participating parties.

The third is a Legal Committee, which would provide legal advice and coordinate legal strategies on matters relating to the proposed opposition cooperation.

The summit also agreed to establish five working groups, with each participating party expected to nominate one representative.

The groups are expected to produce working papers within four weeks covering a National Covenant for Democratic Renewal, Single-Term Transition Charter, National Reform Programme, Framework for Opposition Unity and Roadmap to a Common Presidential Candidate.

The documents are expected to form the basis for deliberations at a second opposition summit, where the parties would consider the next stage of the coalition process.

Lukman stressed that Monday’s meeting was not intended to force any political party to dissolve or merge with another.

He also clarified that the summit was not asking any presidential candidate to withdraw from the 2027 race immediately.

Instead, the immediate objective was to establish the rules and institutional framework that would allow the parties to negotiate their differences before addressing the question of a common presidential candidate.

Leading the House of Representatives Minority Caucus to the summit, Minority Leader Fred Agbedi urged opposition parties to close ranks and replicate the strategy that helped the APC defeat the PDP in 2015.

Agbedi said the Minority Caucus had decided to work with the G100 to help opposition parties streamline their ambitions and develop a collective strategy capable of producing victory in 2027.

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He warned that repeating the fragmentation of 2023 could again leave the opposition with millions of votes that would not translate into electoral victory.

Agbedi urged political leaders to put aside personal ambitions and focus on building a viable alternative to the ruling APC.

PRP presidential candidate Donald Duke also called for political leaders to subordinate individual ambitions to the broader interest of the country.

Duke said he was prepared to support any presidential candidate who emerges through a credible and jointly agreed process involving the participating parties.

He argued that political ego had repeatedly prevented opposition politicians from working together effectively.

Duke warned that the opposition would struggle to defeat the ruling party if individual politicians insisted on pursuing their ambitions independently.

Speaking on behalf of the ADC, its National Vice Chairman for the South-South, Usani Uguru Usani, expressed confidence in the coalition initiative but warned opposition politicians against internal attacks.

Usani said opposition figures were sometimes more focused on attacking one another than confronting the political challenges they collectively faced.

He urged the parties to concentrate on developing a credible alternative capable of winning the confidence of Nigerian voters.

APM National Chairman Yusuf Mamman Dantalle described the summit as an important development in Nigeria’s political history and urged participants to look beyond individual and party interests.

Representing the Tanimu Turaki-led faction of the PDP, its Board of Trustees Secretary, Dr Babangida Aliyu, commended the initiative and called for the coalition-building process to be extended to the state and local government levels.

PRP National Chairman Dr Hakeem Baba-Ahmed described the meeting as historic and said Nigerians were watching the opposition’s efforts closely.

He said the participating parties faced significant political and legal challenges but insisted that the coalition-building process would continue.

SDP National Chairman Prof. Sadiq Gombe also pledged his party’s commitment to the initiative, arguing that Nigerian voters had demonstrated a willingness to support credible alternatives.

NDC National Chairman Senator Moses Cleopas Zuwoghe, speaking on behalf of his party and Peter Obi, endorsed the coalition process and described it as an opportunity for opposition parties to develop a pathway towards addressing the country’s challenges.

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At the end of the meeting, the six parties adopted a Joint Communiqué committing themselves to a structured process of negotiation on opposition cooperation ahead of the 2027 election.

The parties formally established the Central Leadership Committee, Publicity and Communication Committee and Legal Committee.

They also agreed to constitute the five working groups and directed them to produce their respective documents within four weeks ahead of the proposed second summit.

The communiqué confirmed that the G100 would remain a facilitator and observer, rather than assume the authority of the political parties involved in the process.

In another major resolution, the parties called on the United States government to ensure the timely and lawful disclosure of all non-exempt official records concerning President Bola Ahmed Tinubu that are relevant to legitimate public interest.

The demand is connected to an ongoing Freedom of Information Act case before the United States District Court for the District of Columbia.

The opposition parties, however, clarified that the request did not presume the contents of any undisclosed records and did not amount to a finding of wrongdoing against President Tinubu.

They also resolved to formally communicate their position to the ECOWAS Commission.

The major challenge now facing the emerging opposition coalition is whether it can translate the resolutions reached in Abuja into a functioning political alliance capable of competing effectively in 2027.

The absence of Atiku, Obi and Makinde from the inaugural summit also highlights the political complexities that could shape the coalition process, particularly because all three remain influential figures whose political ambitions and support bases could affect any eventual opposition arrangement.

For now, the parties have deliberately avoided the most contentious question — who will fly the eventual opposition presidential ticket.

Instead, they have chosen to establish the negotiating framework first, with the five working groups expected to develop proposals on how a common candidate could eventually emerge.

Whether the parties can overcome individual ambitions, ideological differences, leadership disputes and competing political interests will determine whether the latest opposition unity effort develops into a genuine electoral alliance or becomes another short-lived political arrangement.

With the 2027 general election drawing closer, the Abuja summit marks a renewed attempt by Nigeria’s opposition parties to learn from the lessons of 2023 and build a more coordinated challenge to the ruling APC.

2027: Atiku, Obi, Makinde absent as opposition parties chart path to common candidate

Mother Arrested for Smuggling ‘Colos’ to Son on Death Row in Ogun Prison

NCoS intercepts psychoactive synthetic drug concealed in beverage sachet during routine screening at Ibara Custodial Centre

The Ogun State Command of the Nigerian Correctional Service (NCoS) has arrested a woman, Mrs Iyabo Sowunmi, for allegedly attempting to smuggle suspected illicit drugs into the Medium Security Custodial Centre, Ibara, Abeokuta, for her son, Dare Sowunmi, who is currently on death row at the facility. The spokesperson for the Nigerian Correctional Service, Ogun State Command, Olayinka Odukoya, disclosed this in a statement on Monday, confirming that Sowunmi was arrested at about 1:33 pm on Friday, August 28, 2026, during a routine screening at the facility’s main entrance.

Odukoya explained that the substance, suspected to be “Colos” , a psychoactive synthetic drug, was concealed in a sachet of a popular beverage powder and was allegedly intended for the inmate. He stated, “At approximately 1:33 PM on Friday, August 28, 2026, routine screening procedures at the facility’s main entry point led to the detection of suspicious substances, believed to be the psychoactive synthetic drug commonly known as ‘Colos,’ concealed within a sachet of a popular beverage powder. The suspect was attempting to deliver the package to an inmate, Dare Sowunmi, who is currently on death row. Following the interception, officers immediately detained Mrs Sowunmi. In accordance with inter-agency operational protocols, she has been handed over to the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) for comprehensive investigation and prosecution.”

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Reacting to the incident, the Controller of Corrections, Ogun State Command, Abioye Adesina, commended the security personnel for their vigilance and adherence to security protocols. Adesina said, “Our custodial facilities exist to ensure public safety, reformation, and rehabilitation. We maintain an absolute zero-tolerance policy for drug trafficking or any illegal acts designed to compromise security. Attempts to introduce contraband into our facilities will be met with swift legal action.” The command urged members of the public to respect the integrity of custodial institutions, warning that anyone seeking to undermine security would face the full weight of the law.

This incident comes amid heightened scrutiny of the Ibara Custodial Centre following a separate security breach in August 2026. The NCoS had earlier ordered the removal of the Officer-in-Charge of the facility and two other principal officers after a death row inmate, Elijah Oyebode, was found in possession of a prohibited mobile phone, which he used to access social media and conduct TikTok Live sessions from within the facility. The inmate was subsequently transferred to another facility under enhanced security. The service described that incident as “a serious breach of custodial security,” and investigations into possible officer complicity remained ongoing.

The arrest of Mrs Sowunmi underscores the ongoing challenges faced by correctional facilities in preventing the inflow of contraband, particularly drugs, into prison environments. The NDLEA has been working closely with prison authorities to strengthen security measures and curb the illegal trade of narcotics within custodial centres. The agency has also intensified operations along Nigeria’s maritime routes and at ports, recently intercepting a wooden boat transporting illicit drugs to Cameroon and recording its first seizure of synthetic cannabis smuggled from Thailand, valued at over $4.5 million.

Mother Arrested for Smuggling ‘Colos’ to Son on Death Row in Ogun Prison

Bashir El-Rufai Vows Never to Forgive APC, Threatens to ‘Terrorise’ Party Over Family Ordeal

KADUNA, Nigeria – Bashir El-Rufai, son of former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai, has declared he will never forgive the All Progressives Congress (APC) over what he described as attacks on his family during its most vulnerable period, vowing to acquire political power specifically to “terrorise” members of the ruling party. In a series of incendiary posts on X (formerly Twitter) on Saturday, Bashir declared that even if his father emerged from his ongoing legal ordeal and chose to forgive his perceived adversaries, his personal resolve would remain unchanged. “Even if my father emerges from his ordeal like Gandhi and forgives and forgets, I won’t,” Bashir wrote. He added: “I will acquire power somehow for the sole reason of terrorising those (APC) that attacked like wolves upon my family at our weakest. Friend or foe, it won’t matter”. Bashir, however, made a notable exception in his tirade, singling out Mahmud Ribadu as the only person who would be spared from his intended retribution. “Caveat: Only @mahmudribadu will be spared. That one is my biological brother. Everyone else is fair game,” he stated.

The explosive outburst comes amid an escalating family dispute between Bashir and his elder brother, Bello El-Rufai, a member of the House of Representatives representing Kaduna North Federal Constituency. On Friday, Bashir launched a scathing social media attack on Bello, accusing him of substance abuse, hypocrisy, and betraying the family over the political rift between their father and Kaduna State Governor Uba Sani. Bashir used deeply personal and expletive-laden language, making allegations about Bello’s fertility and accusing him of drug use. In one post, Bashir wrote: “I have a useless excuse for a brother, with his bony-ass face coated with an unknown white substance around his nostrils every night. That is your Member of the House of Representatives, representing a whole constituency, but he prefers alcohol and cocaine.” In response to an X user who questioned the public nature of the dispute, Bashir also disclosed that he keeps “guns and knives at my bedside.”

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The dispute is rooted in the broader political fallout between Nasir El-Rufai and Governor Uba Sani, his former political protégé. Tensions flared after Sani revealed that his administration inherited a massive debt profile of $587 million, N85 billion, and 115 contractual liabilities from El-Rufai’s tenure, claims that deepened the political divide. While Bashir consistently criticised Governor Sani online, Bello initially remained loyal to Sani, maintaining his support for the governor. However, Bello subsequently defected from the APC to the African Democratic Congress (ADC) in May 2026, joining his father, who had left the APC in March 2025. Bashir accused Bello of only returning to the family’s political fold after realising he was being sidelined by Sani, describing the move as self-serving and hypocritical. “He was stuck with Uba Sani until he realised he was being dumped, then suddenly remembered family loyalty and moved to ADC. Where was he before then? Purely serving his own interest,” Bashir wrote.

The El-Rufai family has faced intense scrutiny following Nasir El-Rufai’s prolonged detention by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC). The former governor, who governed Kaduna State between 2015 and 2023, has been in custody for approximately 200 days over allegations of corruption, abuse of office, and fraud during his tenure. In April 2026, he was arraigned before a Kaduna State High Court on an amended nine-count charge filed by the ICPC. He is also facing separate charges relating to alleged wiretapping, brought against him by the Department of State Services (DSS).

In a related development, Nasir El-Rufai has filed a N10 billion fundamental rights enforcement suit against the ICPC, its Chairman, and the Attorney-General of the Federation, alleging that the anti-graft agency denied his wife and son access to him during his detention. He alleged that officials of the Commission physically restrained and intimidated both his wife and son when they attempted to see him on July 7, 2026. The former governor is seeking an order compelling the respondents to grant him unhindered and reasonable access to his family members and legal representatives throughout the period of his detention.

The public clash between the El-Rufai brothers highlights fractures within one of northern Nigeria’s most prominent political families and underscores the deepening political realignment ahead of the 2027 general elections. While Bello remains a member of the House of Representatives, his move to the ADC signals the consolidation of the El-Rufai political camp under an opposition platform. Observers note that the outcome of Nasir El-Rufai’s legal challenges and the brothers’ ability to reconcile may shape the family’s future political influence in Kaduna and beyond.

Bashir El-Rufai Vows Never to Forgive APC, Threatens to ‘Terrorise’ Party Over Family Ordeal