Tinubu re-election gains support as Senator Barau urges former lawmakers to back continuity for reforms, unity and stability ahead of 2027

The Deputy President of the Senate, Senator Jibrin Barau, has urged former lawmakers across the country to rally behind Tinubu re-election in 2027, arguing that continuity is essential for the full implementation of the President’s reform agenda.

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Barau made the call on Saturday at the 2026 National Summit of Former Legislators, held in Abuja and themed “National Unity and Nation Building: Beyond 2031.”

The summit was organised by the National Forum of Former Legislators, with the Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila, serving as convener.

In a statement issued by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Ismail Mudashir, Barau said President Bola Tinubu should be allowed to complete two terms in office in line with the rotational principle that has guided Nigeria’s political stability since the return to democracy in 1999.

“I appeal that we should abide by the principle of rotation, which has brought sanity and equality since the beginning of the Fourth Republic,” Barau said.

He added that the existing arrangement had worked over the years and should not be altered.

According to him, Tinubu re-election would ensure consistency in governance and avoid unnecessary disruptions to ongoing reforms.

He stressed that allowing Tinubu to serve two full terms would reinforce equity and national balance.

Barau’s remarks echoed similar views expressed earlier at the summit by the National Coordinator of the forum, Raphael Igbokwe, and other former presiding officers, who argued that stability and fairness demanded Tinubu’s return for a second term.

The Deputy Senate President also responded to calls for the rotational principle to be formally embedded in the Constitution, pledging to transmit the proposal to the National Assembly for consideration.

“I will certainly do that,” he said, while reaffirming the legislature’s commitment to dialogue on reforms that promote unity and good governance.

Emphasising collaboration and mentorship, Barau said the National Assembly remained open to working closely with former lawmakers, noting that public service did not end with tenure.

“Governance does not end with tenure, and patriotism is a lifelong duty,” he said, describing former legislators as vital custodians of institutional memory and democratic values.

The summit attracted several prominent political figures, including former Senate Presidents Pius Anyim and Ken Nnamani, as well as former Speakers of the House of Representatives Patricia Eteh and Yakubu Dogara.

At the close of the meeting, the forum issued a communique passing a vote of confidence in President Tinubu and endorsing him as its sole candidate for the 2027 presidential election.

The motion was moved by a former senator, Yakubu Hussaini, and seconded by Senator Florence Ita Giwa.

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The endorsement further strengthens the growing momentum around Tinubu re-election, as allies argue that sustained leadership remains key to national unity, reform consolidation and long-term stability.