Former member of the House of Representatives and President of Globe Legislators, Rt. Hon. Sir Sam Onuigbo, has called on Nigerians to support President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s re-election in 2027, arguing that the administration needs another four years to consolidate its economic reforms and ongoing development projects.
Onuigbo made the call in Umuahia, Abia State, during an interactive session with members and stakeholders of the Strategic Mobilisation Network for Tinubu Continuity 2027 (SMN TC2027), where he outlined what he described as measurable progress under the Tinubu administration.
Speaking on the theme, ‘The Case for Continuity, Consolidation and Prosperity,’ Onuigbo said Nigeria needed policy consistency to sustain the gains of ongoing reforms, strengthen existing investments and complete projects initiated by the present administration.
He said the network was established to build a strong grassroots mobilisation structure that would take the message of continuity beyond political meetings to markets, workplaces, schools, communities and other public spaces.
According to him, the Tinubu administration inherited an economy facing high inflation, dwindling government revenue, foreign exchange difficulties, an unsustainable fuel subsidy regime, and mounting debt obligations.
He identified the removal of the fuel subsidy and the unification of the foreign exchange market as among the administration’s major early decisions, acknowledging that the policies imposed significant hardship on Nigerians.
‘However, we must also understand the reasons behind these decisions. For years, Nigeria spent enormous resources subsidising petrol, while the benefits were not always reaching the people who needed them most,’ he said.
Onuigbo, however, argued that recent economic indicators showed improvements, citing a decline in headline inflation to 14.63 per cent in September 2026 from a peak of 36.4 per cent.
He explained that although the reduction in inflation did not mean that commodity prices had returned to previous levels, it indicated that the rate of price increases had slowed.
He also cited Nigeria’s economic growth of 3.87 per cent in 2025, compared with 3.38 per cent in 2024, and growth of 4.43 per cent in the second quarter of 2026, against 3.89 per cent in the first quarter.
The former lawmaker also highlighted growth in the country’s foreign reserves, which he said rose to approximately $55 billion in October 2026, describing it as an important development for currency stability, investor confidence, and the country’s capacity to meet international obligations.
On the petroleum sector, Onuigbo said increased crude oil production and the emergence of the Dangote Refinery had created opportunities for Nigeria to reduce dependence on imported petroleum products, conserve foreign exchange and develop its domestic energy industry.
He also highlighted the Presidential Initiative on Compressed Natural Gas and Electric Vehicles, saying the programme offered alternative transportation options that could help reduce transport operators’ fuel expenses.
On education, he described the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND) as one of the administration’s significant interventions, noting that more than 1.64 million students had received support, with over N372.62 billion disbursed in student loans.
He said the programme, which had partnered with more than 320 tertiary institutions, deserved to be sustained and expanded to enable more young Nigerians to access higher education.
Onuigbo also identified major infrastructure projects, including the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway and Sokoto-Badagry Superhighway, as investments that required continuity to deliver their intended economic benefits.
He said the projects would improve connectivity, facilitate the movement of goods and services and open up economic opportunities across communities.
Addressing the challenges facing small businesses, he pointed to the activities of the Credit Corporation of Nigeria (CREDICORP) and other financing initiatives as efforts to improve access to credit for traders, artisans, entrepreneurs and other small business operators.
He urged members of the mobilisation network to familiarise themselves with government interventions and communicate available opportunities to potential beneficiaries.
On agriculture, he acknowledged that food prices remained high and many households continued to face difficulties, stressing the need for sustained investment in mechanisation, irrigation, improved seedlings, fertilisers, storage and market access.
He said the administration needed to intensify efforts to ensure that government interventions translated into increased food production, improved farmers’ incomes and more affordable food prices.
On security, Onuigbo said insecurity remained a major national concern, adding that sustained investment in security institutions and the proposed State Police framework would help bring policing closer to communities.
He maintained that supporting continuity did not mean ignoring the country’s challenges, insisting that the administration must address its shortcomings and ensure that its policies produced tangible improvements in citizens’ lives.
‘We are not saying that Nigeria has arrived at its destination. We are saying that important steps have been taken, major reforms have been initiated, and investments have been made.
‘There is still work to be done, and there are still challenges to address. But we believe that the right thing to do is to consolidate the progress, correct the weaknesses and complete the work already started,’ he said.
Turning to the responsibility of the mobilisation network, Onuigbo urged members to build effective grassroots structures by engaging market associations, students, professionals, artisans, traditional rulers, religious leaders and community organisations.
He said the network must adopt practical engagement strategies that connect government policies to Nigerians’ everyday experiences.
According to him, members must be prepared to listen to citizens’ concerns about the economy, unemployment, transportation costs and food prices rather than dismissing their grievances.
‘People are more likely to listen when they know that we are also prepared to listen to them. That is how we build confidence, and that is how we earn the support we seek,’ he said.
He also urged members to maintain credibility in their political engagements by avoiding unverified information, exaggerated claims and unsubstantiated promises.
‘The strength of our argument lies in its credibility. We must defend the President with facts, not insults. We must respect people who disagree with us because political differences should never destroy relationships or divide our communities,’ he said.
Onuigbo called for an organised mobilisation structure with clearly defined responsibilities, measurable targets and regular assessments of its grassroots engagements.
He said the network’s objective was to persuade Nigerians, earn their confidence and encourage informed participation in the democratic process.
He concluded that its mobilisation agenda would revolve around four key principles: continuity, consolidation, completion and prosperity, arguing that the Renewed Hope Agenda should be given the opportunity to consolidate the reforms and investments already initiated.
He said the 2027 election would provide Nigerians an opportunity to assess the country’s direction, the progress recorded, the challenges that remained and the leadership they believed could take the country forward.