National Secretary of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Senator Ajibola Basiru, has urged former presiding officers of state Houses of Assembly across Nigeria to mobilise grassroots support for President Bola Tinubu’s re-election bid in 2027.
Basiru solicits support for Tinubu’s re-election
He 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 said the former legislative leaders possessed valuable political experience, strategic knowledge and grassroots connections that could be deployed to strengthen the APC support base ahead of the 2027 general election.
According to him, their years of public service and experience in electoral politics positioned them to explain the policies of the Tinubu administration to Nigerians, counter opposition criticisms and promote public understanding of the government’s economic reform agenda.
He said Tinubu inherited an economy facing severe fiscal pressures, requiring difficult policy decisions, including the removal of the petrol subsidy and the adoption of a more market-driven foreign exchange regime.
He further argued that, although the reforms had brought initial difficulties, they had improved the financial capacity of state governments, enabling many of them to meet salary and pension obligations more effectively and increase investments in developmental projects.
The APC National Secretary maintained that the improved revenue position of state governments represented a significant development in Nigeria’s public finance management.
He urged political stakeholders to explain the objectives of the reforms to the public, stressing the need for Nigerians to understand both the immediate challenges and the long-term goals of the policies.
Basiru also challenged opposition leaders who had previously occupied influential government positions to account for their records in office before presenting themselves as alternatives to the Tinubu administration.
He specifically criticised former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar, questioning the credibility of his economic proposals in view of his participation in previous administrations.
He mentioned the privatisation and sale of national assets, and cautioned Nigerians against what he described as unrealistic campaign promises and politically-motivated narratives by opposition figures seeking to gain electoral advantage ahead of the 2027 elections.
He called on the former presiding officers to intensify public enlightenment campaigns, engage communities across the country and encourage voters to assess political parties and candidates based on verifiable records, policy direction and performance.
He stressed that securing victory in 2027 would require sustained mobilisation, effective communication and unity among APC members and other political stakeholders.
He added that the collective experience of the former legislative leaders could play a significant role in communicating the administration’s achievements and policies to voters at the grassroots.
The APC National Secretary reaffirmed the need for party members to remain united and take the president’s message to communities across the country as preparations for the 2027 general election gather momentum.
This was as he maintained that the former presiding officers had an important role to play in mobilising support for Tinubu’s re-election and strengthening the APC’s electoral prospects.
