By Fatima Ndagi
Former legislators from Nigeria’s southern states have thrown their full weight behind President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, declaring him the “sole candidate of the South” for a second term.
They have also urged Nigerians to rally around him to complete what they described as “the southern mandate” before power shifts northward in 2031.
Meeting at a high-energy summit on Saturday at the June 12 Cultural Centre in Abeokuta, the Southern Caucus of the National Forum of Former Legislators issued a communique applauding Tinubu’s reform agenda—from regional development commissions and local government autonomy to the student loan scheme and electricity deregulation.
“We commend these innovative reforms,” the group stated, calling on state governments and citizens “to collaborate fully and unlock the great potential they offer.”
The caucus praised northern colleagues who backed the South’s tenure, pledging that southern states would in turn support the North in 2031 to “firm the foundation of nation building.”
“It is in the best interest of the South and the nation that the incumbent completes the tenure,” they declared. “Accordingly, we adopt President Tinubu as the sole candidate of the South.”
Chief of Staff to the President, Rt. Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila, who convened the gathering, delivered a rousing keynote that mixed personal reflection, economic indicators, and a call for unity.
“Across this room, I see old friends and comrades in the struggle for a better Nigeria,” he began, conveying Tinubu’s greetings.
Citing recent data, Gbajabiamila painted a cautiously optimistic picture: Nigeria’s economy grew 4.6% in late 2024—its fastest in a decade—while the fiscal deficit narrowed sharply from 5.4% of GDP to 3.0%. Federation revenues surged from ₦16.8 trillion in 2023 to ₦31.9 trillion in 2024, foreign portfolio investment jumped 67% in early 2025, and inflation showed early signs of easing.
But he tempered the optimism with realism: “Fixing the things that have long been broken imposes costs, entails sacrifice and requires time.”
Gbajabiamila stressed that unity was non-negotiable for progress: “National unity is the sine qua non for national development. Nigeria belongs to all of us, and we will rise together or fall together.” He urged dialogue over division and forgiveness over grievance: “Let us talk to each other, not scream at each other… for the sake of our children.”
The summit’s atmosphere—part strategy session, part reunion—signaled that as the next election cycle looms, southern political heavyweights are closing ranks behind Tinubu, framing his reforms as both a southern legacy and a national imperative.