Olamilekan Abayomi
The Southern Forum of Former Legislators has endorsed President Bola Tinubu for a second term, declaring him the sole presidential candidate of the South for the 2027 general elections. This endorsement was announced at the end of the forum’s summit held in Abeokuta, Ogun State, where the group cited Tinubu’s economic reforms, commitment to nation-building, and policies that have re-engineered the economy, strengthened the naira, and laid a foundation for socio-economic recovery.
The forum, comprising former state, federal, and local government legislators across the 17 southern states, believes it’s the South’s turn to complete its tenure, and it would be in the best interest of the region and the nation for Tinubu to complete his eight-year mandate. Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila, described Tinubu as a “generational leader” whose policies are laying the foundation for national prosperity. Gbajabiamila emphasized the importance of unity, noting that without peace and cohesion, no nation can truly develop.
The attendees commended Tinubu for reforms such as the establishment of regional development commissions, the student loan scheme, and the deregulation of the electricity sector. Other notable attendees included former Senate President Ken Nnamani, former Speaker of the House of Representatives Patricia Etteh, and former House Speaker Yakubu Dogara. Dogara urged Nigerians not to lose faith in the Tinubu administration, warning that critics are often motivated by vengeance rather than patriotism.
Ogun State Governor Dapo Abiodun threw his weight behind the president, insisting Tinubu “deserves another term.” The forum called on all Nigerians to support Tinubu’s ambition for a second term, emphasizing the need for unity, peace, and prosperity in the country. They also urged governments to align with Tinubu’s reforms and support his efforts to build a new Nigeria .
In a communique issued at the end of the summit, the forum adopted Tinubu as the sole candidate of the South and called on the South to support the North in 2031 to take up their turn in leading the country. The summit was themed “National Unity: Bedrock of Nation Building,” and attendees stressed the importance of unity in diversity, adding that without national unity, there could be no national development, and a nation without peace cannot experience progress.
