2027: Favour Seeking Ex-Lawmakers Forum Adopts Tinubu As Sole Presidential Candidate

Former federal lawmakers who have been described as insensitive and favour seeking, who served in the Senate and the House of Representatives, yesterday, adopted President Bola Ahmed Tinubu as the sole presidential candidate of the southern part of the country.

According to report feom various sources, the former National Assembly members under the auspices of the Southern Caucus of National Forum of Former Legislators announced this adoption in a communique issued at the end of a one-day summit of the National Forum of Former Legislators, held in Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital.

Reading from the communique signed by the Chairman, Communique Committee, Samson Osagie; the Chairman, Southern Caucus, Adeyemi Oluwole and Israel Sunny Goli, Secretary of the Southern Caucus, respectively, the Forum observed that it is in the best interest of the south and the nation that the incumbent president completes the eight-year tenure of the south.

Osagie, who is the Commissioner for Justice and the Attorney-General of Edo State, added that it is imperative for President Tinubu to continue in office in 2027 so that Nigerians can harvest benefits of the various reforms initiated by the president, which include the establishment of regional development commissions, local government autonomy, student loans scheme and deregulation of electricity sector, among others.

While commending the convener of the summit, the Chief of Staff to the President and former Speaker of the House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila, for his initiative, the communique called for greater collaboration of state governments, and support of the citizens.

“We commend the innovative reforms of the Federal Government which include among others, the establishment of Regional Development Commissions; Local Government Autonomy; Student Loans Scheme and Deregulation of Electricity Sector, and calls for greater collaboration of State Governments, and support of Citizens alike to be able to harvest the great potentials of these reforms.

“That as a body, we will always align ourselves to those things that will promote the unity, peace and prosperity of our dear country, Nigeria. We commend the patriotic courage of our colleagues of the Northern Caucus in calling for the South to complete their tenure of leadership of the country.

“We affirm that it is the turn of the south to complete its tenure. We posit that it is in the best interest of the South and nation that the incumbent, President Bola Ahmed 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.

 “We call on all Nigerians to pursue this course to promote national unity and firm up the foundation of nation building,” the communique stated.

In his remarks, Gbajabiamila said that the summit with the theme “National Unity: Bedrock for Nation Building”, was convened to provide an avenue for former federal lawmakers to chart a course forward and enhance national unity.

 He noted that without national unity, nation building would continue to be a mirage, calling on Nigerians to embrace unity and shun divisive tendencies.

 He observed that former lawmakers have used experiences garnered at the National Assembly to distinguish themselves in both public and private services.

Gbajabiamila disclosed that no fewer than 15 former senators and House of Representatives members are currently serving in the cabinet of President Tinubu, adding that the president being a former lawmaker himself knows and acknowledges the value of Nigerians who have served in the National Assembly.

In his address, the National Coordinator of the National Forum of Former Legislators, Raphael Xhanna Igbokwe, said that the Southern Summit afforded an opportunity for a reunion, networking and most importantly lend their voices to critical national issues.

He noted that as a body, the Forum was committed to issues that will promote peace and unity of the country and also entrench democracy.

Igbokwe, however, urged the government and the serving legislators to consider the reinstatement of former legislators both at the national, state and local government councils as statutory delegates to national conventions and congresses. 

While thanking the Federal Government for considering former legislators for appointments, he appealed that post-service benefits be instituted for them as applicable to heads of other arms of government.

Igbokwe further appealed to the FG to pay the severance allowances of 2nd and 3rd Republic legislators.

While Nigerians are undergoing the excruciating pains of economic crunch, with no help in sight, the ex lawmakers failed to seek a blueprint towards resolving the present economic woes.

This political insensitivity has nonetheless sprung up varied opinion as to the reason for the favour seeking ex lawmakers, insisting Tinubu must not complete the tenure for the South.