A chieftain of the G-100 political pressure group, Umanu Elijah, has declared that the proposed arrangement to produce a consensus presidential candidate among opposition parties ahead of the 2027 general election has effectively collapsed.

Elijah made the disclosure during a telephone interview on Sunday, attributing the setback to the unwillingness of opposition politicians to set aside their individual ambitions and support a common candidate.

He said the proposal championed by the group's convener, Salihu Lukman, had failed because the presidential aspirants were not prepared to make the necessary concessions.

“The sole candidacy thing is dead and buried. The candidates are not ready to make concessions,” he said.

Elijah cited the ongoing campaign activities of opposition parties, particularly the Allied Peoples Movement (APM) and the African Democratic Congress (ADC), as indications that their candidates intended to pursue separate presidential ambitions.

The G-100, convened by former Director-General of the Progressives Governors' Forum, Lukman, was established to facilitate cooperation among opposition parties and political stakeholders ahead of the 2027 elections.

The group had argued that opposition parties contesting independently could weaken their collective challenge to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), making a united front necessary.

As part of its consultations, the group engaged former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar, former Anambra State Governor Peter Obi and Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde, among other political figures, to explore the possibility of adopting a common platform and presidential candidate.

However, the initiative has encountered difficulties as the politicians continue to promote their respective political ambitions.

The opposition parties involved in the discussions include the ADC, APM, Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Social Democratic Party (SDP), Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and Peoples Redemption Party (PRP).

Earlier consultations had focused on developing a framework for cooperation, identifying shared political priorities and determining how the parties could work together ahead of the elections.

Despite those engagements, no agreement has been reached on a single presidential candidate.

Elijah's remarks suggest that the G-100's original consensus proposal is no longer considered achievable, although broader cooperation among opposition parties remains a separate possibility.

Efforts to obtain a response from Lukman were unsuccessful, as he did not answer calls or respond to messages sent to him.