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By Gloria Ikibah

The National Forum of Former Legislators has endorsed President Bola Tinubu as its preferred candidate for the 2027 general election and passed a vote of confidence in his administration and leadership.

The endorsement was announced in a communiqué issued at the end of the forum’s national summit, themed National Unity and Nation Building, which was held in Abuja on Saturday.

The group also formally adopted Tinubu as its sole candidate for the next presidential election.

Presenting the communiqué, a former Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Babangida Nguroje, said the forum supports the inclusion of a rotational presidency in the Constitution, alternating between the northern and southern regions of the country.

The forum further called for the presidency to return to the North after the completion of the current southern-led administration under President Tinubu, describing the arrangement as essential for national unity and balanced governance.

“In keeping with the spirit of equity, inclusion and national balance, we affirm that the presidency should return to the Northern region in 2031 by the grace of God after the completion of the southern presidency and the administration of President Bola Tinubu.

“To eliminate doubts, reduce political tension, and build enduring trust between the northern and southern regions, we call for the principle of rotational presidency to be enshrined in the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

“In order to consolidate reforms, strengthen national unity and deepen democratic governance, we collectively resolve that the current President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria should be supported to complete a full eight-year term.

“We, therefore, pass a vote of absolute confidence in the administration of President Bola Tinubu and his leadership and adopt him as our sole candidate for the 2027 general election,” the communique read in parts.

In his remarks, the Chief of Staff to the President and former Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila, emphasised the importance of national unity, a principle he said the forum strongly represents.

He noted that for Nigeria to play a meaningful role in shaping the emerging global order, the country must first achieve a shared sense of purpose at home.

Gbajabiamila stated that Nigerians are fortunate to be led at this critical time by a President who understands both the strengths and vulnerabilities of the nation’s diversity, and who recognises that unity should never be undermined by narrow interests or short-term political ambitions.

He added that under President Bola Tinubu’s leadership, Nigeria’s future will not be shaped by those who exploit historical divisions to fuel discord. Instead, the administration remains committed to engaging citizens across all lines with fairness, inclusion and shared responsibility, while strengthening national unity through balanced development and responsive governance.

“Yet achieving national unity is not the responsibility of government alone. Political actors such as those gathered here occupy a uniquely influential position. Your words shape public discourse. Your conduct models acceptable behaviour. Your choices either expand or constrain the space for cooperation.

“Building unity across ethnic and tribal lines requires deliberate effort, sustained dialogue, cross-regional alliances, and inclusive narratives that affirm the dignity of all groups. This does not require the erasure of difference. It requires the recognition that diversity can be a source of strength when governed by fairness and mutual respect,” he said.

Gbajabiamila noted that the principle of a rotational presidency between North and South stood as one of the clearest expressions of principled compromise in the service of national interest.

According to him, this principle was not born of weakness, but of the wisdom of earlier generations of political leaders who understood that in a diverse nation such as Nigeria, inclusion is the foundation of stability.

“This arrangement was deliberately designed to manage our differences, ease tensions, prevent needless conflict, and keep Nigeria steadily moving forward on the path of unity and progress. Those who now seek to upend this understanding in pursuit of narrow, short-term political ambitions must pause and reflect.

“No personal aspiration, no transient political gain, should be allowed to endanger the hard-won balance that sustains our country or to place individual desires above the enduring interests of Nigeria and the collective well-being of its people,” he added.

The Chief of Staff, acknowledged that a critical challenge facing Nigerian politics is the temptation to mobilise identity as a shortcut to power, noting that ethnic and tribal affiliations, deeply rooted in history and culture, can easily be transformed into instruments of political exclusion.

He stated that the Tinubu presidency made fairness, openness and broad participation core principles of how government operates, saying a historic milestone has been reached as each of Nigeria’s six geopolitical zones now got its own development commission.

Gbajabiamila said the government had advanced numerous initiatives built on the foundation of national unity with infrastructure development positioned as a unifying force.

“The Lagos–Calabar Coastal Road under construction, crossing several southern states, and the ongoing Sokoto–Badagry highway, connecting Nigeria’s far North to the South-West, represent more than trade routes—they create pathways for inter-ethnic interaction and mutual appreciation,” he added.

For his part, Deputy President of the Senate, Jibrin Barau said as the nation navigates challenges of governance, national cohesion, economic reform, and institutional trust, the wisdom of those who had “been there” is more needed than ever.

He said platforms such as the summit provide an opportunity to reflect, mentor, advise, and contribute constructively to national discourse beyond partisan divides.

Barau assured that the leadership of the National Assembly remains open to collaboration with NFFL and similar bodies on the conviction governance does not end with tenure and patriotism is a lifelong duty.

In his opening remarks, NFFL National Coordinator, Raphael  Igbokwe stated that the forum had at its regional summits resolved that the southern region completes a eight year tenure of presidency through Tinubu as bringing another person from the region is tantamount to giving a blank check for tenure elongation.

He commended the present administration for its numerous reforms and urge it to  remain focused on turning around  the socio-economic fortunes of the country for the benefit of all Nigerians.

Also urged the federal government to intensify efforts towards “identifying, exposing and prosecuting sponsors of terrorism,  ensuring that they face the full route of the law” while calling on all citizens to promote ethnic and religious tolerance.