By Our Reporter
The National Secretary of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Senator Ajibola Basiru, has urged former presiding officers of State Houses of Assembly across the country to mobilise grassroots support for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s re-election in 2027 and defend the gains of his administration’s economic reforms.
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, with the theme, “Kaduna 2026: United Voices of Experience, All Together for Tinubu 2027.”
He described the former legislative leaders as experienced political actors whose electoral victories and years of public service had equipped them with the knowledge, networks and strategic capacity to contribute to the President’s re-election campaign.
According to the APC national scribe, their experience places them in a strategic position to explain the rationale behind the Tinubu administration’s economic policies, counter opposition criticisms and strengthen the ruling party’s support base at the grassroots.
Basiru said Tinubu inherited severe fiscal pressures upon assuming office, necessitating difficult policy decisions, including the removal of the petrol subsidy and the adoption of a more market-driven foreign exchange regime.
He argued that although the reforms had imposed initial difficulties on Nigerians, they had improved the financial capacity of state governments, enabling many of them to meet salary and pension obligations more effectively and increase spending on development projects.
The APC national secretary maintained that the improved fiscal position of state governments represented a significant development in public finance management, urging political stakeholders to explain both the immediate challenges and long-term objectives of the reforms to Nigerians.
He also challenged opposition leaders who had previously occupied 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 proposals in view of his involvement in previous administrations, including the privatisation and sale of national assets.
He 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 the former presiding officers to intensify public enlightenment, engage communities across the country and encourage voters to make informed decisions based on verifiable records, policy direction and the administration’s performance.
He stressed that securing victory in 2027 would require sustained mobilisation, strategic communication and unity among party stakeholders, adding that the collective experience of the former legislative leaders could play a significant role in advancing the APC’s electoral ambitions.
Basiru reaffirmed the need for party members and political stakeholders to remain united, take the administration’s message to the grassroots and mobilise support for Tinubu’s re-election.
