Next year's potential presidency could be decided by royal ceremony rather than public vote if rival factions fail to unite, according to Lukman.

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…Says APC’s poor performance has weakened public confidence

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…Urges opposition leaders to put Nigeria above personal ambition

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By Juliet Umeh

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A former National Vice Chairman (North-West) of the All Progressives Congress, APC, and a leader of the African Democratic Congress, Salihu Lukman, has warned that the 2027 general election could become “more of a coronation than an election” unless opposition parties put aside their differences and present a united front against the ruling APC.

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Speaking during an interview on Channels Television, Lukman said the continued fragmentation of opposition parties was handing the APC a clear advantage ahead of the next general election and eroding public confidence in Nigeria’s democracy.

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“I would say that 2027 will be more of a coronation than an election. The pain every Nigerian is going through is that Nigeria is not changing for the better,” he said.

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According to him, Nigerians do not need opinion polls to assess the performance of the current administration because the economic hardship being experienced across the country is evident in people’s daily lives.

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“You don’t need a poll to know Nigerians are suffering. The reality is reflected in the daily lives of citizens. People are struggling and the economy is becoming more difficult,” he stated.

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Lukman disclosed that discussions on building a broad opposition coalition had lasted for nearly two years but regretted that the process had failed to produce the united platform many Nigerians expected. He argued that the inability of opposition leaders to close ranks had emboldened the ruling party.

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“The arrogance of the APC today is largely because the opposition has failed to present a united front capable of challenging the ruling party. We have practically gone back to where we were in 2023,” he said.

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He warned that if opposition parties remained divided, voter apathy could increase significantly, making the electoral process more vulnerable to manipulation.

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“Confidence in the electoral process is already low. If people begin to believe the outcome is predetermined, voter apathy will increase and the election may simply become a coronation,” he added.

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Reflecting on his role in the formation of the APC in 2013, Lukman admitted that the party had drifted from the progressive ideals on which it was founded.

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“We wanted a progressive party that would transform Nigeria, but over time the party degenerated. Many of us appealed to its leaders to return to those ideals, but nothing changed,” he said.

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He also criticised the implementation of key economic reforms, including the removal of the fuel subsidy and exchange rate liberalisation, arguing that they were introduced without adequate measures to cushion their effects on citizens.

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According to him, rising inflation, high food prices and declining agricultural productivity show that many Nigerians are yet to benefit from the reforms being championed by the federal government.

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Lukman, however, insisted that the responsibility for changing the political landscape rests largely with the opposition. He urged opposition leaders to put national interest ahead of personal ambition by negotiating and rallying behind a single presidential candidate capable of offering Nigerians a credible alternative.

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“My appeal is simple. Opposition leaders must prove that they love Nigeria more than their personal ambitions. They should negotiate, unite and present one credible candidate Nigerians can rally behind in 2027,” he said.

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