The Southern Summit of Former Legislators has formally adopted President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for a second term in office. The former legislators made the adoption in a communiqué issued at the end of the Southern Summit of former legislators, held on Saturday at the June 12 Cultural Centre, Kuto, Abeokuta, Ogun State.
The former legislators acknowledged the various reforms of President Tinubu, which have, in the last two years, re-engineered the economy, strengthened the currency, and set the nation on the path of socio-economic recovery. They stressed the need for state governments to key into the reforms and support the President in his efforts to birth a new nation.
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Speaking at the Summit, the Chief of Staff to the President, who is also the convener of the Summit, Femi Gbajabiamila, noted that with the signing into law of the tax reforms, President Tinubu has ushered in a new era of economic justice built on fairness, accountability, and national purpose.
The Chief of Staff, while quoting the World Bank Development Update, said the country’s economy expanded by 4.6 percent in the final quarter of 2024, pushing annual growth to 3.4 percent, the fastest pace in a decade.
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He further added that the country’s fiscal deficit narrowed from 5.4 percent of Gross Domestic Product in 2023 to three percent in 2024, driving the federation revenues from N16.8 trillion in 2023 to an estimated N31.9 trillion in 2024.
The former House of Representatives Speaker noted the importance of unity in diversity, adding that without national unity, there could be no national development and that a nation without peace cannot experience progress.
“The country can draw strength and inspiration from culture, music, arts, and traditions. Nation building is a joint task that goes beyond building roads, bridges, schools, and hospitals; it is about forging a sense of common identity and purpose among the citizens.
“President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has ensured purposeful leadership through the establishment of development commissions across the six geo-political regions of the country. The development commissions would no doubt help channel more federal resources to develop and implement infrastructure and human capital development across the country.
“Nation building is not only the work of the government, but also for citizens, both at home and in the diaspora, who have a stake in the Nigerian project to join hands with the President Bola Ahmed Tinubu-led administration to build a nation every citizen will be proud of.”
In his message, the host, Governor Dapo Abiodun, noted that nation building isn’t the sole responsibility of one region, one party, or one institution, but a shared duty that transcends tribal, religious, political, and economic divides.
Mr Abiodun added that unity does not mean uniformity, but a celebration of diversity under the framework of justice, equity, and respect.
While acknowledging the former legislators as embodiments and essence of representative democracy, Governor Abiodun said that apart from performing legislative duties, they also perform oversight functions and representation through which the voice of the people at the grassroots is brought to the government at the centre.
“You must be committed to a united, secure, and economically vibrant region. You must continue to support policies and programmes that promote inclusive governance, human capital development, and inter-regional cooperation,” he said.
Chairman of the occasion, Ken Nnamani, in his opening remarks, stressed the need for former legislators to come together to deliberate on the challenges confronting the nation and proffer workable solutions to the government.
Former Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara, urged Nigerians not to allow pretenders in the political space to cause them to lose faith in the President Bola Ahmed Tinubu-led administration, observing that the agitations of the so-called pretenders are not about patriotism, but more about vengeance and power. While affirming that the structure of the pretenders was built on mendacity, fury, and spectacle, Mr Dogara noted that the country has begun to experience economic recovery.
Speaking in the same vein, former Speaker, House of Representatives, Patricia Etteh called for cohesion, dialogue, and shared purpose to navigate the journey of sustainable development, adding that unity remains an ingredient for peace and democratic progress.
The National Coordinator of the Summit, Raphael Igbokwe, assured that the meeting would serve as a platform for finding solution to the nation’s problems, urging the sub-nations to collaborate with the federal government in moving the nation forward.
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