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The Southern Forum of Former Legislators has declared President Bola Ahmed Tinubu as its sole presidential candidate for the 2027 general elections, calling on opposition politicians to allow the South to complete its allotted eight years in power.
The declaration was made on Saturday at the forum’s summit held at the June 12 Cultural Centre, Abeokuta, Ogun State. The forum is made up of former lawmakers who have served at state assemblies, the National Assembly, and local government levels across the 17 southern states of Nigeria.
Reading the communiqué, former lawmaker and ex-Attorney General of Edo State, Mr. Samson Osagie, said the group’s decision was based on principles of fairness, equity, and national unity.
“We commend the patriotic courage of our colleagues of the Northern Caucus in calling for the South to complete their tenure of the leadership of the country,” the communiqué read. “We affirm that it is turn of the South to complete its tenure. We posit that it is in the best interest of the South and the nation that the incumbent, President Bola Tinubu, completes the tenure of the South. Accordingly, we adopt him 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.”
The Chief of Staff to the President and National Convener of the forum, Mr. Femi Gbajabiamila, backed the decision. He described President Tinubu as “an exceptional and generational leader” whose reforms, though painful, were laying the groundwork for future prosperity.
“The argument for President Tinubu to complete his eight-year term has been said loud and clear. I am in support of this call, because it can’t be faulted,” Gbajabiamila said. “For the sake of unity, equity and fairness, President Tinubu deserves another term. Beyond this argument, the President is also taking bold and daring steps to reset the nation for a greater tomorrow and therefore deserves the support of all to complete this good job.”
He highlighted major reforms of the administration, such as fuel subsidy removal, deregulation of the electricity sector, and the introduction of the students’ loan scheme. He said that despite the hardship, the policies were already producing results. According to him, portfolio investment inflows grew by 67 per cent in the first quarter of 2025, while the World Bank confirmed that Nigeria’s economy recorded its fastest growth in ten years in 2024.
Gbajabiamila also cited improvements in government revenue. He noted that Nigeria’s fiscal deficit reduced sharply from 5.4 per cent of GDP in 2023 to 3.0 per cent in 2024, driven by an increase in Federation revenues. “This shows the country is firmly on the path of growth,” he added.
The summit, themed “National Unity: Bedrock for Nation Building,” was chaired by former Senate President, Ken Nnamani. It was attended by notable political figures, including former House Speaker Patricia Etteh, ex-Senate Leader Victor Ndoma-Egba, former Speaker Yakubu Dogara, Coordinator of the Forum of Former Northern Legislators, Rufai Chachangi, Governor Dapo Abiodun of Ogun State, serving ministers, and other past lawmakers.
Governor Abiodun commended Tinubu as a visionary leader who “deserves another term.” Nnamani also encouraged the ex-lawmakers to continue rallying support for national unity, stressing that political stability is key to building a stronger Nigeria.
National Coordinator of the forum, Raphael Igbokwe, reaffirmed the group’s support for Tinubu’s re-election bid. He, however, used the platform to demand the payment of severance allowances owed to some former federal lawmakers.
The meeting ended with a vow by the forum to always support initiatives that promote peace, unity, and prosperity in Nigeria. The ex-legislators also promised to mobilise grassroots support for President Tinubu in the buildup to the 2027 elections.
