2027: Former Speakers Endorse Tinubu, Vow Nationwide Mobilisation

…FOPSHAN hails economic reforms, pledges grassroots campaign for President

The Forum of Former Presiding Officers of State Houses of Assembly of Nigeria (FOPSHAN) has endorsed President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for a second term in office, pledging to mobilise its supporters across the country and take the campaign to the grassroots ahead of the 2027 general elections.

The forum also commended the Tinubu administration’s economic reforms, particularly the removal of petrol subsidy, which it said had saved the nation’s economy from total collapse at a critical period.

The resolutions were adopted at the forum’s National Summit held on Thursday in Abuja, where former Speakers and Deputy Speakers of State Houses of Assembly, serving in various capacities and those no longer in public office, reviewed the administration’s economic policies and leadership.

In a resolution adopted at the summit, the forum said: “In recognition of the President’s colourful, visionary leadership and commitment to national development, FOPSHAN unanimously endorses President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, for a second term in office in the 2027 general elections.”

Speaking as Special Guest of Honour, First Lady of Nigeria, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, urged former presiding officers to remain active in public service, stressing that leaving political office should not amount to abandoning the nation.

Addressing the forum on the theme, “Bold Leadership, Bold Reforms: From Subsidy to Renewed Hope, Assessing the Economic Trajectory and Visionary Leadership of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Administration,” the First Lady said Nigeria still needed the wisdom, experience and networks of former presiding officers.

“This summit is a celebration of service, leadership, experience and sacrifice. Leaving political office should never mean leaving public service.

“Nigeria still needs your wisdom, experience and networks. I therefore urge you to use this forum as a platform for preserving institutional memory, mentoring younger legislators, promoting democratic stability, and continuing to contribute to the development of the various communities where we serve.”

On the endorsement of President Tinubu, Senator Oluremi Tinubu expressed appreciation, noting that the backing carried particular significance because it came from people who had presided over legislative institutions.

“I especially acknowledge and appreciate your endorsement of His Excellency, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, for his second term in office.

“Coming from men and women who have themselves presided over legislative institutions, your endorsement carries special significance. You understand the demands of governance, the difficulty of making critical decisions, and the courage required to pursue reforms in the national interest,” she said.

The First Lady said the administration had, since its inception, been working to reposition the Nigerian economy and lay a solid foundation for sustainable national development.

“Since the inception of this administration, Mr President has worked tirelessly to reposition an economy and lay a solid foundation for sustainable national development.

“Nation building is a continuous process and the gains already recorded must be consolidated for the benefit of the present and future generations,” she added.

Former Senate President, Senator Anyim Pius Anyim, who chaired the occasion, described President Tinubu as a leader thinking beyond the next election and “planting” reforms for the next generation.

He defended the administration’s reform agenda, including the removal of petrol subsidy, student loans and the proposed state police initiative, arguing that the benefits of major reforms were often realised long after their implementation.

“I rarely talk about iconic leaders. I rather observe them because most of the time they are not defined by the projects they do. They are rather defined by their vision and reforms to implement,” Anyim said.

He added: “Reforms at every time had never always been very popular, but only courageous leaders who are not thinking about today but tomorrow actually embark on reforms.”

Anyim said his assessment of President Tinubu’s political trajectory had convinced him that the President was looking beyond immediate political considerations.

“I have observed the political trajectory of President Bola Tinubu, and I am to say he was never a politician of today, but a statesman of the moment and the next levels.

“He is far-sighted and visionary, but above all, he is courageous and strategic in planning as well as in execution.”

He cited the student loan policy, state police programme and petrol subsidy removal as examples of policies he said were designed with long-term national objectives in mind.

“His student loan policies target not today, but the next generation of leaders. The state police programme targets not today, but the stability of our social environment for the next generation,” he said.

Former Plateau State Governor and former Speaker of the Plateau State House of Assembly, Senator Simon Lalong, acknowledged the economic difficulties generated by the reform programme but said the country needed to move from macroeconomic stabilisation to shared prosperity.

Lalong examined petrol subsidy removal, foreign-exchange reforms, fiscal consolidation, debt management, revenue generation and tax reforms as key components of the administration’s economic programme.

He noted that subsidy removal had increased transportation and living costs and placed considerable pressure on households and businesses, but argued that the issue had been postponed for years by previous administrations.

The former governor said assessments cited from the World Bank indicated movement towards macroeconomic stability, while poverty remained high and household incomes had yet to fully recover.

He stressed that macroeconomic gains would need to translate into tangible improvements in the lives of Nigerians, identifying infrastructure, agriculture, human capital development, security, social protection and youth opportunities as critical to achieving that transition.

Lalong called for sustained investment in roads and bridges, while insisting that infrastructure projects must be delivered with quality and value for money.

On agriculture, he said the government needed to look beyond the distribution of inputs and strengthen irrigation, mechanisation, technology, storage, processing, transportation and marketing.

He said the Renewed Hope Agenda should be treated as an interconnected framework covering food security, poverty reduction, economic growth, jobs, infrastructure, security, human capital, governance and the rule of law.

“President Tinubu has done his part by taking the bold decision. Our part is to help our people understand that the pains of today are the gains of tomorrow.

“We must tell Nigerians that bold leadership is not about being popular today, it is about being right for society,” Lalong said.

Earlier, the National Chairman of FOPSHAN, Senator Wasiu Eshilokun Sani, said the summit was designed to provide an avenue for experienced legislators to examine the consequences of major policy decisions and contribute to national development.

He said the removal of fuel subsidy, changes in federal allocation and efforts to strengthen local government financial autonomy had generated significant national debate.

“These are consequential decisions which immediately affect citizens and institutions and they therefore deserve thoughtful, honest and constructive engagement,” Sani said.

He added that the success of reforms would ultimately depend on the quality of implementation, the strength of institutions and the extent to which Nigerians experienced their impact.

Sani urged participants to identify unintended consequences and areas requiring improvement rather than merely reflecting on government policies.

He also called for stronger collaboration among the three tiers of government, saying increased public revenue should be reflected in responsible governance and improved public services.

Sani acknowledged the First Lady’s legislative background and her continued involvement in issues concerning women, children and vulnerable Nigerians.

Earlier, Ebonyi State Governor and Chairman of the Board of Trustees of FOPSHAN, Rt. Hon. Francis Ogbonna Nwifuru, stressed the importance of cooperation between the executive and legislature, drawing from his experience as a former Speaker.

“Those years taught me an enduring lesson. Governance is not the responsibility of the executive alone; it is a partnership between institutions,” Nwifuru said.

He said the economic reforms should ultimately translate into increased productive capacity, urging greater investment in agriculture, manufacturing, infrastructure, education, energy and technology.

“We must invest in agriculture, manufacturing, infrastructure, education, energy and technology. We must create an environment where Nigerians can produce more, businesses can grow and young people can find meaningful opportunities.”

Nwifuru also called for stronger legislative oversight, greater fiscal responsibility, stronger democratic institutions and devolution of powers.

“We have occupied the chambers where laws are made, scrutinised and voices of our constituents were amplified. We therefore cannot afford to be spectators in the journey of national development,” he said.