2027: Fashola to lead Southwest traditional rulers’ engagement on Tinubu’s re-election

The gathering is expected to attract Obas, chiefs and Baales from across the six Southwest states, with the Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi, Ojaja II, expected to attend as the royal father of the day.

Tagged “Reelection in Large Turnout across Southwest Regions,” the conference is designed to mobilise traditional institutions and community leaders behind President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Vice President Kashim Shettima ahead of the 2027 elections.

Organisers said the meeting would provide a platform for traditional rulers to formally endorse Tinubu’s re-election bid and present a blueprint aimed at securing millions of votes for APC candidates across the Southwest.

Speaking on preparations for the conference, its convener and Chairman of the Planning Committee, Dr Seyi Bamigbade, highlighted what he described as the positive impact of the Tinubu administration on the Southwest.

He cited major infrastructure projects, including the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway, economic reforms and Federal Government support for regional security as key achievements that, according to him, had strengthened confidence in the administration at the grassroots.

Bamigbade said improvements in trade, transportation and community-level development formed the basis of the region’s support for Tinubu’s policies.

He added that traditional institutions from all six Southwest states were prepared to converge on Oduduwa House to deliberate on issues affecting national development, including prosperity, security, education and food security.

The convener also appealed to Southwest governors to support traditional rulers in hosting the engagement, stressing the importance of cooperation among political leaders and traditional institutions in mobilising support for Tinubu and other APC candidates.

He said the conference would culminate in the formal endorsement of the President by participating traditional rulers and the presentation of a blueprint designed to encourage a large voter turnout across the region.

The strategic engagement has also been formalised by Senator Buhari AbdulFatai, Secretary of the Southwest Stakeholders Presidential Campaign Council.

Speaking on the broader performance of the Tinubu administration, AbdulFatai said the President’s policies and programmes across different sectors had provided a basis for the planned grassroots mobilisation.

“President Tinubu has demonstrated unprecedented courage in steering Nigeria toward sustainable growth,” he said.

AbdulFatai pointed to the administration’s agricultural interventions, including heavily subsidised fertiliser distribution and mechanised farming initiatives, which he said were aimed at improving food security nationwide.

He also cited the full operationalisation of the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND), saying the initiative had helped break financial barriers to education for millions of young Nigerians across the country’s geopolitical zones.

According to him, fiscal reforms, local government autonomy and targeted infrastructure funding had also strengthened governance and improved the welfare of ordinary Nigerians.

“Coupled with aggressive fiscal reforms that have stabilised local governance through local government autonomy and targeted infrastructure funding, the President has proven that his agenda is deeply rooted in the welfare of ordinary Nigerians,” AbdulFatai said.

“It is these nationwide strides that give our traditional leaders the confidence to mobilise the grassroots ahead of 2027.”

The November 19 conference is expected to bring together traditional rulers and other stakeholders to discuss the administration’s policies, regional development priorities and strategies for mobilising electoral support ahead of the 2027 general elections.