The re-election chances of President Bola Tinubu brightened on Friday after the southern caucus of the forum of former legislators of the Federal Republic of Nigeria adopted him as their sole presidential candidate for the 2027 general election.
The caucus, which comprises former Speakers and principal officers of the House of Representatives from the south-west, south-south and south-east, made the decision at a summit convened by Femi Gbajabiamila, Tinubu’s chief of staff and a former Speaker of the House.
The event, held at the June 12 cultural centre in Abeokuta, Ogun state, was chaired by Ken Nnamani, a former Senate President, and attended by some members of the northern caucus, including Rt. Hon. Yakubu Dogara, another former Speaker of the House.
In a communiqué read by Barr. Samson Osagie, Attorney-General of Edo state, the former legislators commended Tinubu’s reforms which, they said, had re-engineered the economy, strengthened the naira and set the nation on the path of recovery.
They cited the establishment of regional development commissions, local government autonomy, a student loans scheme and deregulation of the electricity sector as key achievements, while pledging to support policies that promote unity, peace and prosperity.
Gbajabiamila, in his address, said Tinubu’s reforms had ushered in a new era of “economic justice built on fairness, accountability and national purpose”.
He quoted the World Bank as saying Nigeria’s economy grew by 4.6 percent in the last quarter of 2024, driving annual growth to 3.4 percent — the fastest in a decade.
“The country’s fiscal deficit narrowed from 5.4 percent of GDP in 2023 to 3 percent in 2024, while revenues rose from N16.8 trillion in 2023 to an estimated N31.9 trillion in 2024,” he said.
Gbajabiamila also stressed the importance of unity, saying nation-building goes beyond infrastructure to forging a sense of common identity and purpose.
In his remarks, Dapo Abiodun, governor of Ogun state, said nation-building is a shared duty that transcends tribal, political and religious divides.
Ken Nnamani said the summit was an opportunity for former lawmakers to deliberate on challenges facing the country, while Dogara cautioned Nigerians not to lose faith in Tinubu’s administration.
Patricia Etteh, another former speaker, called for cohesion and dialogue, describing unity as the foundation of democratic progress.
The communiqué affirmed that it is the turn of the south to complete its tenure in the presidency, noting that the north should take over in 2031.
“We adopt President Bola Ahmed Tinubu as the sole candidate of the south. We call on the south to support the north in 2031 to take up their tenure for the leadership of our dear country,” it read.