President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s path to re-election in 2027 received a major boost yesterday as the Southern Caucus of the Forum of Former Legislators of the Federal Republic of Nigeria adopted him as its sole presidential candidate for the next general election.
The endorsement came at a high-profile summit convened by the Chief of Staff to the President and former Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila, and chaired by former Senate President, Senator Ken Nnamani.
The event, held at the June 12 Cultural Centre in Abeokuta, Ogun State, brought together former principal officers and Speakers of the House of Representatives from the South-West, South-South, and South-East, alongside some members of the Northern Caucus, including former Speaker Hon. Yakubu Dogara.
In a communiqué issued at the end of the summit, the caucus commended President Tinubu’s reforms, which they said had “re-engineered the economy, strengthened the currency, and set the nation on a path of socio-economic recovery.”
The forum urged Nigerians to support the president to complete the tenure of the South, pledging to back the North’s turn to lead in 2031.
Gbajabiamila, in his address, highlighted key achievements of the Tinubu administration, citing World Bank data showing Nigeria’s economy grew by 4.6% in the last quarter of 2024, the fastest pace in a decade.
He noted that the fiscal deficit had narrowed significantly, while government revenue had almost doubled.
“With the signing of tax reforms, President Tinubu has ushered in an era of fairness, accountability, and national purpose,” Gbajabiamila said.
He called for unity, insisting that nation-building was not just about physical infrastructure but also about forging a common identity and sense of purpose among Nigerians.
Governor Dapo Abiodun of Ogun State, the host, praised the former lawmakers as “embodiments of representative democracy” and urged them to remain committed to policies that promote inclusive governance, human capital development, and inter-regional cooperation.
Former Speaker Dogara warned Nigerians not to lose faith in the administration due to the agitation of what he termed “pretenders in the political space,” while former Speaker Patricia Etteh called for greater cohesion and dialogue to ensure sustainable development.
The communiqué, read by Hon. Samson Osagie and adopted by former Senator Magnus Abe, commended the government’s creation of regional development commissions, local government autonomy, the student loan scheme, and electricity deregulation.
“We affirm that it is the turn of the South to complete its tenure. Accordingly, we adopt President Bola Ahmed Tinubu as the sole candidate of the South for the 2027 presidential election,” the communiqué stated. “We call on all Nigerians to pursue this course to promote national unity and strengthen the foundation of nation-building.”
