2027: Pat Utomi To Hold Secret Talks With Atiku, Obi

Professor of Political Economy, Pat Utomi, will lead a powerful Movement for Credible Elections (MCE) Political Commission in closed-door talks with all major opposition presidential candidates to forge a single, consensus candidate to challenge President Bola Tinubu and the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).

This hint was dropped in a statement issued by the Media Coordinator of the MCE, James Ezema.

According to MCE, the meetings are expected to be concluded within two weeks ahead of a tactical session in Ibadan.

—Who Is On The Table?—

– Atiku Abubakar— African Democratic Congress (ADC)
– Peter Obi — Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC)
– Adewole Adebayo — Social Democratic Party (SDP)
– Seyi Makinde — Allied People’s Movement (APM)
– Donald Duke — People’s Redemption Party (PRP)
– Sandy Onor— Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)
– Peter Agada — Young Progressives Party (YPP)
– Omoyele Sowore — African Action Congress (AAC)

Utomi will be joined by heavyweights such as Maryam Ciroma, Modupe Adelaja, Solomon Dalung, Uche Onyeagocha, Olusegun Mayegun, Sam Amadi, Mike Iginni, Obongawan Barbara Etim James, Olawale Okunniyi and Dr. Adum Ter Alex.

—Why Secret Meetings?—

MCE said the Utomi-led commission deliberately chose closed-door engagements to prevent sabotage by “political mercenaries and jobbers” opposed to the initiative and determined to frustrate negotiations.

“The rationale for the closed-door engagements, the commission said, is to prevent sabotage from political mercenaries and jobbers opposed to the initiative and determined to frustrate the negotiations and horse-trading amongst the shortlisted presidential candidates,” the statement read.

“Nigeria cannot afford another opposition arrangement in which political actors agree on the need for a united front but disagree when it becomes necessary to determine the arrowhead and rallying point of that electoral alliance.”

—How Will The Candidate Emerge?—

MCE said the selection will be based on credibility, transparency, fairness, due process and level playing field. Modalities will be agreed by all candidates.

Criteria include: national acceptability, competence, integrity, leadership profile, political electability, policy orientation, commitment to democratic institutions, capacity to unite the country and ability to work with diverse social interests, plus understanding of the national constitutional question.

“The Nigerian people deserve more than a coalition of political personalities. They deserve a coalition of ideas, competence, values and a coherent ideological programme for national salvation,” MCE said.

The coalition will be anchored on a common governance agenda — insecurity, economic hardship, unemployment, poverty, institutional decay, electoral integrity, constitutional reform, education, healthcare, energy and cost of governance.

Every candidate must commit in advance to respect the outcome and support the adopted candidate.

The move comes on the heels of the August G100 call by 100 concerned Nigerians urging opposition leaders including Atiku, Obi, Makinde, Bala Mohammed, Seriake Dickson, Rotimi Amaechi, Rabiu Kwankwaso and Rauf Aregbesola to bury their ambitions for a single candidate strategy.

The Conclave