National Consultative Front (NCFront) has applauded Labour Party’s (LP) presidential candidate in 2023 general election, Peter Obi, for his move to rally leading opposition leaders ahead of 2027 elections.
There have been conversations recently about the formation of a strong political movement made up of opposition political leaders, elder statesmen and leaders of thought to dislodge All Progressives Congress (APC) in 2027.
On Monday, former vice president, Atiku Abubakar, met with Obi in Abuja in what some termed realignment process ahead of the 2027 general election.
Similarly, Obi met with the former Jigawa governor, Sule Lamido and the former president of the Senate, Bukola Saraki, at their residences in Abuja.
The NCFront, in a statement by its spokesperson, Hamisu Turaki, yesterday, said Obi’s strategic consultations with Atiku, presidential candidate of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and other leading opposition figures had been adopted.
“This is a teaser to the flag off of a series of activities already lined up by a new committee recently set up by NCFront. The committee is to facilitate and coordinate realignment and fusion of leading opposition leaders and forces towards the formation of a new ideology-based and value-driven ultra mega political movement.
“This movement is based on rapprochement and realignment of opposition political leaders and forces to check growing misrule of the APC and save Nigeria from imminent collapse,” he said.
He said the realignment and fusion process, expected to throw up an alternative mega political movement for Nigerians by March 2025, was expected to prioritise the mobilisation of like minded political leaders and forces across the country.
Turaki said the movement would bring like-minds into one ideological mega political platform irrespective of their present political parties.
“The question of merger of political parties is relegated to the background as secondary and can only be entertained if it becomes necessary after the formation of the new mega party by like-minded political leaders and groups in the country.
“It is worthy of note that the above modus operandi was adopted at the inaugural meeting of the committee hosted in Lagos on February 6 by Pat Utomi.”
According to him, members of the broad-based realignment and fusion implementation committee include, Utomi, Buba Galadima, Shehu Sanni, Nkoyo Toyo, Ladipo Johnson and Ibrahim Ansami.
He said others included Adai Edwin Adai, Obongawan James, Promise Adewusi and Chinyere Oforkansi.
The spokesperson said the committee would flag off the process of its political realignment and intervention in June by hosting major consultative meetings with leading opposition presidential candidates in the country.
He said the opposition candidates would include Atiku, Obi and Rabiu Kwakwanso.
“This is to be followed by joint national intervention meetings and summits of like-minded political leaders and groups in the country of the state of Nigeria.
“This will be a prelude to initiating a broad-based ideological and value- driven political movement and ultra-mega political party to save Nigeria from growing misrule of the APC,” he said.
According to him, the question of who becomes the flag bearer of the planned movement in 2027 has already been foreclosed and will only be discussed and popularly resolved after its formation.
He said the leading presidential candidates in the 2023 elections and other political gladiators in the consultations had already decided to jettison their personal political ambitions for the formation of a formidable opposition movement.
Turaki said: “So, national salvation first is the guiding rule of this political intervention of the Nigerian opposition and any individual, no matter highly placed, found pursuing personal political agenda risks expulsion from the movement.”
NCFront is a major political consortium of leading opposition forces, led by Utomi, political economist.