2027: Tinubu urges Akume, Alia to mend fences

President Bola Tinubu has urged the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), George Akume, and Governor Hyacinth Alia of Benue to mend fences for the peace and development of the state.

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Mr Tinubu, represented by the Vice President Kashim Shettima, made the appeal at the Progressive Governors Forum Renewed Hope Ambassadors Summit 2026, held at the State House Conference Hall, on Tuesday.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the theme of the summit was, ‘Taking Renewed Hope to the Grassroots: One party, One message, One Mobilisation Framework’.

The Nigerian leader emphasised the need for the SGF to reach out to Governor Alia to build Benue together, saying, “Benue deserves peace, Benue deserves development.”

“I want to use this special forum to make an appeal to the SGF and Governor Alia to mend fences and move the state forward.

“What binds us together, as I always said, supercedes whatever divides us. The trajectory of global growth is facing Africa, and Nigeria will make or mar that transition.

“Nigeria is greater than all of us. As Martin Luther King rightly said, we either learn to live together as brothers or perish together as fools.

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“And we are not a nation of fools. We are a nation of very intelligent, very smart people that know their onions,” Mr Tinubu said.

The president said his administration had shifted focus from stabilisation in 2025 to acceleration in 2026, with the N58.18 trillion 2026 budget anchoring the new phase.

He said that the summit calls for reflection on the administration’s reforms, the sacrifices made, and the responsibilities to translate vision into measurable impact for Nigerians.

“As we advance into 2026, our focus shifts from stabilisation to acceleration. The N58.18 trn budget shall anchor this new phase.

“A record capital expenditure, the largest allocation to national security in the history of our country and prudent revenue projections, we are scaling growth while strengthening resilience,” he said.

Mr Tinubu said that the administration’s landmark tax reforms were “introduced to protect the vulnerable, encourage enterprise and entrench transparency in public finance.”

He cited the recent executive order affecting remittances to the federation account, designed to safeguard federation revenues, eliminate duplicative structures, curb waste and ensure better management of national resources.

“Today, we are seeing clear signs that our reforms have begun to yield results. Inflationary pressures are moderating, fuel prices are easing, our currency is strong and stable,” he stated.

He, however, observed that no reform can succeed without public understanding and participation, just as he identified the communication gap as “the strategic importance of the Renewed Hope Ambassadors.

“This platform shall serve as the avenue for civic engagement. Ambassadors must explain why tough decisions had to be made and how they lead to jobs, security, enterprise, opportunities and a more stable future.

“They must counter misinformation with facts, replace rumour with evidence and ensure that Nigerians from across the country have access to the truth.

“They must also serve as the channel for feedback, bringing community concerns and lived experiences back to government.”

Mr Tinubu tasked the Renewed Hope Ambassadors on wider outreach, saying they must “move beyond conference centres to the wards, markets, and campuses, across the country.”

“This mission is about presence, truth and trust. Elections are not conducted on social media platforms; they are conducted by Nigerians who will vote.

“This summit affirms our commitment to a shared future of promise and peace for all Nigerians. Together we will continue translating reforms into opportunities, policy into impact and sacrifice into renewed hope,” he added

Governor Hope Uzodimma of Imo and Chairman, Progressive Governors’ Forum, reaffirmed the forum’s unwavering support for the reform direction of President Tinubu’s administration.

“We understand that transformation requires patience. We understand that restructuring requires courage. We understand that stability requires discipline.

“Your administration has chosen long-term national interest over short-term applause. History will record that.

“We, at the subnational level, stand as partners, not spectators. We stand ready to align policy, mobilisation, and communication with your national direction,” he added

Mr Uzodimma, who is the Director-General, Renewed Hope Ambassadors, said the summit was all about ambitions and institutional continuity, adding that the Nigerian people deserve stability and reform that works.

He added, “They deserve a party that speaks with clarity. They deserve leadership that thinks beyond the next election cycle.

“As Progressive Governors, we recommit ourselves to strengthening national cohesion, supporting federal reforms, ably led by President Bola Tinubu, deepening subnational productivity, and institutionalising message discipline.”

The National Chairman of APC, Nentawe Yilwatda, said the party believed in the reform and mission of President Tinubu, insisting that good governance without communication was invisible.

He said, “Communication without structure is noise. And politics without grassroots mobilisation is an organised defeat.

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“We are here to ensure that governance translates into gratitude and gratitude translates into loyalty and that loyalty translates into victory in 2027.”

The national chairman added that the APC is not a coalition of convenience, but a movement of progress that survives on discipline.

He said, “Let this summit mark the beginning of a disciplined, data-driven, grassroots-powered movement that secures not just governance, but generational dominance.”

(NAN)