Six opposition parties begin talks on common presidential candidate, propose four-year Government of National Competence and enforceable transition charter, Nigeria's opposition parties have intensified efforts to forge a common political front ahead of the 2027 general elections, with a proposal for a single four-year presidential term at the centre of negotiations aimed at challenging President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the ruling All Progressives Congress.

The proposal emerged from a summit of opposition political parties organised by the G-100 initiative and the Minority Caucus of the House of Representatives in Abuja.

The parties are considering a framework under which a common opposition candidate would lead a Government of National Competence for one four-year transition term, with the proposed administration expected to focus on national reforms rather than seeking a second term.

The initiative is designed partly to address the major obstacle confronting the opposition ahead of 2027: the competing ambitions of several presidential hopefuls.

Representatives of six opposition parties participated in the Abuja discussions. They included the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Allied Peoples Movement (APM), Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Peoples Redemption Party (PRP) and Social Democratic Party (SDP).

The summit was facilitated by the G-100, led by former APC National Vice Chairman Salihu Lukman, who presented the proposed framework for opposition cooperation.

Lukman said the immediate objective was not to force political parties to dissolve, merge or withdraw their existing candidates but to establish rules through which the parties could negotiate a common platform and eventually select a single presidential candidate.

Under the proposed arrangement, the opposition coalition would establish what it calls a Government of National Competence.

The administration would operate for a single four-year term and would be built around four principles: competence, integrity, national inclusion and fair representation.

The coalition also plans to develop a Single-Term Transition Charter setting out the proposed government's mandate, duration, limitations and safeguards.

The organisers have stressed the importance of making the agreement enforceable, amid concerns that political promises made before elections can change once politicians acquire power.

The proposed framework would also include a national reform programme intended to serve as the coalition's governing agenda.

The proposal is largely an attempt to prevent a repeat of the fragmented opposition vote witnessed during the 2023 presidential election.

Opposition leaders argue that multiple candidates competing against one another could once again divide votes and give the ruling APC an advantage.

The G-100 therefore wants opposition parties to agree on a common candidate and a common programme before the 2027 election.

Lukman said the process was intended to establish the rules of cooperation before negotiations over personalities and positions.

The parties have consequently established committees to coordinate the process, including a central leadership committee, publicity and communication committee, and legal committee.

Despite the significance of the discussions, some of the opposition's biggest political figures were absent from the Abuja summit.

Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, who is associated with the ADC, and former Anambra State Governor Peter Obi, associated with the NDC, were not present.

Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde was also absent.

Their absence has fuelled questions over whether the emerging coalition can successfully overcome the personal ambitions of the major presidential contenders.

The opposition has nevertheless continued negotiations, with the parties establishing working groups expected to prepare detailed documents within four weeks.

The working groups are expected to produce five major documents for consideration at another summit.

They are:

- National Covenant for Democratic Renewal

- Single-Term Transition Charter

- National Reform Programme

- Framework for Opposition Unity

- Roadmap to a Common Presidential Candidate

The documents are expected to provide the political and organisational framework for the proposed coalition.

While opposition leaders have expressed support for greater cooperation, the question of who would carry the coalition's presidential ticket remains unresolved.

Several opposition figures have presidential ambitions, making the selection of one candidate potentially contentious.

The latest discussions therefore seek to create a framework that allows the parties to agree on a candidate without destroying the coalition.

The proposed four-year transition arrangement is being presented as one possible solution because it could persuade competing politicians to accept a common candidate without giving that candidate an open-ended opportunity to dominate the coalition.

Some opposition figures have indicated willingness to sacrifice personal ambitions if doing so would help produce a credible common candidate.

The proposal has also generated questions about its legal enforceability.

Nigeria's Constitution currently provides for a presidential term of four years and permits a president to be elected for a second term, subject to the constitutional limits.

Consequently, an agreement among political parties before an election does not by itself amend the Constitution.

The opposition's proposed transition charter is therefore intended as a political commitment governing the coalition's candidate and administration. Whether such a commitment could legally prevent a president from exercising a constitutional right to seek another term remains a major issue surrounding the proposal.

Critics have questioned whether a political agreement can effectively override a constitutional right once a candidate has been elected.

This is one of the reasons the organisers have repeatedly emphasised the need for an enforceable agreement with clearly defined safeguards.

Opposition faces race against time

The coalition now faces the challenge of converting its plans into an actual electoral alliance before the 2027 election timetable becomes more restrictive.

The parties must resolve questions surrounding the common candidate, party structures, zoning, campaign organisation, funding, policy priorities and power-sharing.

Recent reports indicate that opposition leaders remain divided over how the proposed alliance should operate, with some arguing that a coalition is essential while others believe individual parties can defeat the APC without a formal merger.

The African Democratic Congress, for instance, has described opposition cooperation as desirable but said a coalition is not necessarily a condition for defeating President Tinubu in 2027.

Tinubu remains target of opposition strategy

The proposed four-year government is ultimately tied to the opposition's broader objective of preventing President Tinubu from securing a second term.

The APC is expected to campaign for Tinubu's re-election in 2027, while opposition parties are attempting to consolidate their votes behind a single challenger.

The emerging coalition is therefore presenting the proposed Government of National Competence as an alternative political arrangement focused on economic recovery, security, institutional reforms and national inclusion.

Whether the opposition can transform the proposal into a functioning electoral coalition, however, will depend on its ability to resolve the competing interests of its major political actors.

For now, the four-year single-term proposal remains a political agreement under negotiation, rather than an amendment to Nigeria's Constitution.