No fewer than 1,000 lawmakers drawn from both the National Assembly and 36 State Houses of Assembly under the aegis of the National Forum of Former Legislators on Saturday adopted President Bola Tinubu as the sole candidate for the 2027 presidential election.

The ex-lawmakers who converged at the National Summit with the theme ‘National unity and national building, beyond 2031’ also expressed overwhelming support for rotational presidency and hence adopted two term for the Northern region to produce a president in 2031 as part of ongoing efforts aimed at stabilising democracy and the polity.

While delivering goodwill messages, the former lawmakers, including Chief of Staff to the President, Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila; Minister of Interior, Hon. Tunji Olubunmi-Ojo; former presiding officers of the Senate and House of Representatives, namely Senator Ken Nnamani and Senator Pius Anyim, Hon. Yakubu Dogara and Hon. Patricia Etteh who spoke glowingly on series of developmental projects implemented across the country, applauded the ongoing reforms aimed at improving the country’s socioeconomic and political fortunes.

While reading the communiqué issued after the National Summit, former Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Babangida Nguroje, said, “Willful members of the National Assembly of the Federal Republic of Nigeria have been deliberated extensively on the state of the nation, democratic stability, national unity and the future of our constitutional order hereby issue the covenant in the spirit of patriotism, inclusiveness and national cohesion.

“Our resolutions are guided by the need to strengthen democracy.

“As you know, democracy is the government of the people, for the people, by the people. So, preserve unity and promote trust among all the regions of the country.

“As you can see, we are almost all the regions of the country in Nigeria. So, resolutions. One, commitment to national dialogue.

“We reaffirm that the denial of consultation and peaceful engagement must always remain Nigeria’s primary tool for resolving political and social and regional challenges.

“Two, we emphasise that Nigerian issues must be resolved by Nigerians and through dialogue, constitutional and democratic means.

“Two, rotation of the presidency in 2031. In keeping with the spirit of equity, inclusion and national balance, we affirm that the presidency should return to the Nordic region in 2021, where the Gnesses hold each other.

“After the completion of the Southern presidency and the administration of the Bola Ahmed Tinubu, constitutional entrenchment of rotational principle to eliminate doubt, reduce political tension and build enduring trust between the Northern and the Southern regions, we call for the principle of rotational presidency to be enshrined in the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

“As you all know, we are making the constitution of the federal government for Nigeria. So this will promote fairness, strengthen national unity and provide clarity for the future generations here on board.

“Continuity of reforms: In order to consolidate ongoing reforms, strengthen national unity and deepen democratic governance, we collectively resolved that the current president of the Federal Republic of Nigeria shall be supported to complete the full term traditionally accorded to the Southern presidency, in the interests of stability, fairness and democratic consistency.

“So we therefore pass a vote of absolute confidence on the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and adopt him as our sole candidate for the 2027 general election.

“In conclusion, we reaffirm our unwavering commitment to a united, peaceful and prosperous Nigeria. We call upon all our political leaders, institutions and citizens to uphold the value of democracy, justice, and national cohesion in the collective interests of our great nation, for Nigeria.”

Speaking earlier, Chief of Staff to President President and Speaker of the 9th House of Representatives, Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila averred that Nigerians “are fortunate that at this pivotal moment, Nigeria is led by a President who understands both the fragility and the strength of our diversity, and who recognises that national unity must never be sacrificed on the altar of narrow ambition or short-term political gain.

According to him, under the leadership of President Tinubu, “our future will not be negotiated by those who exploit historical fault lines to sow division and resentment.

“This administration is committed to engaging Nigerians across all divides in a spirit of fairness, inclusion, and shared responsibility, and to strengthening unity through equitable development and responsive governance.”

He maintained that Tinubu’s presidency has “made fairness, openness, and broad participation core principles of how government operates. A historic milestone has been reached: each of Nigeria’s six geopolitical zones now has its own Development Commission.

These commissions are empowered to direct federal investment toward infrastructure and people-centered programs tailored to the distinct realities and obstacles facing different parts of our nation.

“President Tinubu’s government has advanced numerous initiatives built on the foundation of national unity. Through programs that span the entire country, economic reforms that include all Nigerians, and coordinated security efforts, the administration works to strengthen bonds among citizens regardless of region.

“This approach reflects the Renewed Hope Agenda’s core emphasis on unity, shared responsibility, and progress that benefits everyone.

“A key element of this unity vision is designing national programs that intentionally reach across geographic, ethnic, and religious boundaries.

“Take the Renewed Hope Ward Development Programme, a community-level initiative designed to reach at least 1,000 people in each of Nigeria’s 8,809 wards, ensuring that citizens in every state feel seen and included in federal policymaking.

“President Tinubu regularly connects tax reform, social investment, and economic restructuring to infrastructure and social services that touch “every constituency and Senatorial district” and advance collective prosperity rather than concentrating benefits in particular regions.

“Infrastructure development has been positioned as a unifying force, with major projects serving as symbols of both physical connection and shared national purpose.

“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.

“Road expansions and improvements across the country are similarly presented as part of an inclusive development narrative including the Interest-Free Students Loan for students in tertiary institutions across the country, the discounted Cancer treatment in selected public hospitals across the country and many more.

“Our administration has also positioned security and civic engagement as foundations for unity, encouraging citizens, media, and institutions to offer constructive feedback while preserving national harmony.

“Security sector reforms, including movement toward more localized policing and enhanced coordination among security and intelligence bodies across regions, are described as measures to safeguard all Nigerians equally, regardless of ethnic background or state.

“We arrive at a moment that demands reflection and resolve. History teaches us that there are seasons when nations are tested, not by the absence of opportunity, but by the weight of choice.

“This is such a season for Nigeria. The decisions we make now, the language we choose, the divisions we inflame or the bridges we build, will echo far beyond our own time. The price of freedom is eternal vigilance. In our context, vigilance means guarding our unity with the same seriousness with which we guard our sovereignty.

“For unity is not an ornament of statehood, it is its backbone. Without it, no constitution endures, no economy prospers, and no flag truly represents the hopes of its people.

“Let me be clear: the work of national unity is not glamorous. It is often slow, difficult, and deeply uncomfortable.

“It requires listening when it is easier to shout, compromising when it is tempting to dominate, and trusting when suspicion seems safer. Yet history is unequivocal that great nations are not built by those who exploit fear, but by those who rise above it.

“This is why leadership matters. Not leadership defined by position alone, but leadership expressed through moral example, restraint, and vision.

“Yet there is reason for confidence. Nigeria has endured because, time and again, its people have found the capacity to pull back from the brink. We have survived military rule, economic upheaval, and profound social change.

“We have done so not because we are without differences, but because at critical moments, enough Nigerians chose country over faction and hope over despair.

“That same choice confronts us again today. And it must be made not by government alone, but by all of us: leaders and followers, elders and youth, citizens at home and Nigerians in the diaspora.

“Let us therefore leave this Summit resolved to speak, act, and lead differently. Let us commit to a politics that seeks to persuade rather than provoke, to unite rather than divide, and to elevate rather than diminish our common humanity,” Hon. Gbajabiamila urged. (Saturday Tribune)

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