Lukman: Opposition must unite or hand APC another victory in 2027
Former National Vice Chairman (North-West) of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Salihu Lukman, has said he suspended his membership of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) out of frustration over the inability of opposition leaders to forge a united front ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Speaking on The Morning Show on Arise News on Friday, Lukman warned that the opposition could repeat the errors that undermined its chances in the 2023 elections if political leaders continue to place personal ambitions above collective interests.
He said that while the recent Court of Appeal judgment affirming the participation of the ADC and other political parties in the 2027 elections was welcome, it did not address the deeper divisions threatening the opposition.
“As a Nigerian, I’m not excited by all this development because when we started about two years ago, the objective was to unite opposition leaders and build a political party capable of holding elected officials accountable,” he said.
Lukman argued that the focus should not be merely on securing a platform to contest elections but on building a credible political alternative that can inspire public confidence.
He cautioned that without genuine reconciliation among opposition figures, the coalition risked returning to the same fragmented approach that characterised the 2023 polls.
“As it is today, no matter what comes out of the judicial process, we can have a party that can contest the election. But I see us going back to 2023, repeating almost the same things that happened in 2023 and expecting a miracle to happen,” he said.
The former APC chieftain disclosed that he stepped back from the ADC about two weeks ago because of dissatisfaction with developments within the party and the broader opposition coalition.
