John Onaiyekan, a prelate of the Catholic Church, has urged opposition political parties to close ranks ahead of the 2027 general election, saying a strong opposition is vital to sustaining Nigeria’s democracy.

 

Onaiyekan made the call when leaders of opposition parties under the G100 Coalition, comprising national chairmen and national secretaries of some political parties, visited him at his residence on Thursday, October 29.

 

The delegation briefed the cardinal on efforts to unite opposition parties and present Nigerians with a “credible alternative” ahead of the elections.

 

In a statement issued on Friday and signed by Salihu Lukman on behalf of the coalition parties, the group said 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 providing Nigerians with new leadership and a renewed focus on citizens’ welfare, security and trust in government.

 

The statement added that the delegation appreciated the cardinal’s longstanding commitment to justice and compassion and asked him to continue praying for the success of the coalition.

 

 

The coalition said its leaders would visit other prominent Nigerians and diplomatic missions in the coming weeks.