Odimmegwa Johnpeter/Abuja
The National Secretary of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Senator Dr. Ajibola Basiru, has called on former presiding officers of State Houses of Assembly across Nigeria to leverage their political experience and grassroots influence to mobilise massive support for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s re-election in 2027.
Basiru made the call at a programme organised by the Kaduna State Chapter of the Former Presiding Officers of State Houses of Assembly in Nigeria, themed “Kaduna 2026: United Voices of Experience, All Together for Tinubu 2027.”
He described the participants as experienced political actors whose electoral victories and years of public service had equipped them with the knowledge and strategic capacity required to contribute meaningfully to the President’s re-election campaign.
According to him, their experience places them in a strategic position to educate Nigerians on the rationale behind the Tinubu administration’s economic reforms, counter opposition narratives and strengthen grassroots support for the ruling party.
Basiru noted that President Tinubu assumed office at a time when the country faced severe fiscal pressures, necessitating difficult but decisive policy choices, including the removal of the petrol subsidy and the adoption of a more market-driven foreign exchange regime.
He argued that these reforms, despite the initial difficulties they created, had helped improve the financial capacity of state governments, enabling them to meet salary and pension obligations more effectively while increasing investments in developmental projects.
The APC National Secretary maintained that the improved fiscal position of many state governments represented an important development in Nigeria’s public finance management, urging political stakeholders to help Nigerians understand both the challenges and the long-term objectives of the reforms.
He also challenged opposition leaders who previously held influential positions in government to account for their records in office before presenting themselves as credible alternatives to the current administration.
Basiru specifically criticised former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar, questioning the credibility of his economic prescriptions in view of his participation in previous administrations, including the controversial privatisation and sale of national assets.
He further cautioned Nigerians against what he described as unrealistic promises and politically motivated narratives by opposition figures seeking electoral advantage ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The APC National Secretary urged former presiding officers to intensify public enlightenment, engage communities across the country and ensure that voters make informed decisions based on verifiable records, policy direction and the administration’s performance.
He stressed that the task ahead required sustained mobilisation, strategic communication and unity among party stakeholders, adding that the collective experience of the former legislative leaders would be crucial to securing victory for President Tinubu and the APC in 2027.
Basiru reaffirmed the need for party faithful and political stakeholders to remain united, take the administration’s message to the grassroots and mobilise support for the President’s re-election.
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