A prelate of the Catholic Church, John Onaiyekan, has called on opposition political parties to unite ahead of the 2027 general election, insisting that a strong opposition is crucial keeping to democracy in Nigeria.
Onaiyekan disclosed this when leaders of opposition parties under the G100 Coalition, comprising national chairmen and national secretaries of some political parties, visited him at his residence.
The delegation told the cardinal on efforts to unite opposition parties and present Nigerians with a “credible alternative” ahead of the elections.
In a statement issued and signed by Salihu Lukman on behalf of the coalition parties, the group stated that Onaiyekan welcomed the initiative and expressed support for the efforts to build a united opposition.
“He expressed his joy at signal that Nigerians will have real and credible choices to enable citizens to decide their future and leaders next year. His Eminence emphasised the role of competent, honest and sympathetic leaders in resolving the multiple problems which combines to make decent lives of our citizens difficult or impossible to sustain,” the statement said.
The coalition also told the cardinal that it had completed work on three documents outlining its principles, operational framework and proposed policy direction.
They are the National Covenant for Democratic Renewal, which outlines the coalition’s principles; the Framework for Opposition Unity, which sets out how the coalition will operate; and the National Reform Programme, which details what a government formed through the cooperation would seek to achieve.
The group said it was working to finalise and adopt the documents ahead of its second summit scheduled for November 9, when member parties are expected to endorse and unveil them.
The delegation also briefed Onaiyekan on efforts to attract more political parties into the coalition and develop mechanisms to address potential sources of disagreement among members.
The coalition said it was committed to offering Nigerians with new leadership and a renewed focus on citizens’ welfare, security and trust in government.
The statement stated that the delegation thanked the cardinal’s longstanding commitment to justice and compassion and asked him to continue praying for the success of the coalition.
