Citizenship News
The National Forum of Former Legislators (NFFL) has called for the constitutional entrenchment of the rotational presidency between the northern and southern parts of Nigeria.
The Forum described it as a necessary step to promote equity, reduce political tension and strengthen national unity ahead of future elections.
The call was part of resolutions reached at the 2026 National Summit of the Forum held in Abuja, with the theme “National Unity and Nation Building: Beyond 2031.”
In a communiqué issued at the end of the meeting, the former lawmakers said enshrining the rotational principle in the Constitution would eliminate doubts, build enduring trust between the North and the South, and provide clarity for future generations.
They noted that such a step would promote fairness, inclusion and democratic stability in Africa’s most populous country.
The Forum further affirmed that, in line with the spirit of equity and national balance, the presidency should rotate to the North in 2031 following the completion of the current southern presidency under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
The former legislators also resolved to support the continuity of the present administration’s reforms, stressing that stability and democratic consistency required President Tinubu to complete the full eight-year tenure traditionally accorded to the South.
The Forum passed a vote of absolute confidence in the Tinubu administration and adopted him as its sole candidate for the 2027 general election.
The Forum reaffirmed its commitment to national dialogue, consultation and peaceful engagement as the preferred tools for resolving political, social and regional challenges.
Chief of Staff to the President, Rt. Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila, backed the principle of rotational presidency between the North and South, describing it as a wise and principled compromise designed to manage diversity, ease tensions and preserve national stability.
Gbajabiamila, who is the Convener of the Summit, warned that personal ambition should never be allowed to undermine arrangements that sustain unity and peace.
He called on Nigerians across political, ethnic and regional lines to recommit to national unity, describing it as a strategic necessity for Nigeria’s survival and progress in an increasingly volatile global order.
Gbajabiamila made the call while delivering remarks at the 2026 National Summit of the National Forum of Former Legislators (NFFL) held at the NAF Conference Centre, Abuja, under the theme “National Unity and Nation Building; Beyond 2031.”
He said the summit was taking place at a time of global uncertainty, where long-standing assumptions were being questioned and international stability was weakening.
He noted that such moments demanded experienced leadership and reflective national dialogue.
According to him, the President continues to draw strength and guidance from the collective wisdom, political judgment and institutional memory embodied by the NFFL as he pursues the objectives of the Renewed Hope Agenda.
Gbajabiamila described the Forum as a unique national asset, stressing that its members were not passive observers of Nigeria’s democratic journey but active participants who helped shape critical moments in the nation’s history.
He said the institutional memory represented by former legislators must be deliberately harnessed to guide present decisions and future pathways.
Explaining the significance of the summit’s theme, he said the emphasis on “beyond 2031” underscored the fact that nation-building was a continuous process and not the responsibility of any single administration.
He recalled the opening words of Nigeria’s Constitution, which commit Nigerians to live in unity and harmony as one indivisible nation, describing them as a living pledge rather than distant legal phrases.
He noted that the constitutional principle of federal character was designed to ensure inclusion, prevent marginalisation and affirm that no citizen should feel like a stranger in their own country. National unity, he said, was therefore not optional but a solemn duty and sacred trust.
Drawing from legislative experience, Gbajabiamila said the National Assembly remained one of the clearest expressions of Nigerian unity in practice, where individuals from diverse backgrounds regularly debate, negotiate and disagree in pursuit of the national interest.
He stressed that unity does not require the erasure of differences, but the ability to work together despite them.
On the international stage, he said Nigeria is encountered as a single political and economic entity, warning that internal divisions weaken the country’s capacity to project strength, negotiate effectively and protect its interests.
He noted that the global system that emerged after the Second World War was fracturing, with economic competition intensifying and geopolitical power being exercised with fewer restraints.
According to him, this evolving global reality presents both danger and opportunity for Nigeria. While fragmentation could undermine investor confidence, economic planning and security coordination, unity of purpose could position the country to shape emerging global arrangements on trade, security and development.
Gbajabiamila warned that prolonged internal division would have devastating consequences, deepening vulnerabilities, magnifying insecurity and transmitting instability across generations. He stressed that national unity was not an abstract moral ideal but the foundation of economic resilience, national security, social stability and international credibility.
He said Nigeria’s ability to influence the emerging world order depended on achieving unity of purpose at home, adding that strategic clarity could not be built on internal rivalry and fragmentation.
The Chief of Staff expressed confidence in President Tinubu’s leadership, describing him as a leader who understands both the fragility and strength of Nigeria’s diversity and who is committed to fairness, inclusion and shared responsibility. He said the administration was determined not to sacrifice unity for narrow ambition or short-term political gain.
However, he emphasised that the task of building unity did not rest on government alone. He said political leaders, especially former legislators, play a critical role in shaping public discourse, modelling acceptable conduct and expanding the space for cooperation across ethnic and regional lines.
He cautioned against the mobilisation of ethnic, tribal or religious identity as a shortcut to power, warning that while such tactics may offer short-term political gains, they inflict long-term damage on national cohesion and trust.
He urged leaders to consistently communicate that disagreement is not hostility, diversity is not disloyalty, and compromise in the national interest is an act of statesmanship.
Highlighting concrete steps taken by the Tinubu administration, he noted that all six geopolitical zones now have development commissions aimed at addressing region-specific challenges through inclusive federal investment.
He said the Renewed Hope Agenda prioritises unity through nationwide economic reforms, coordinated security efforts and people-centred programmes.
He cited the Renewed Hope Ward Development Programme, designed to reach citizens in all 8,809 wards, as well as infrastructure projects such as the Lagos–Calabar Coastal Road and the Sokoto–Badagry Highway, describing them as symbols of physical connection and shared national purpose.
Other initiatives mentioned included interest-free student loans, discounted cancer treatment in public hospitals and nationwide road rehabilitation.
On security, Gbajabiamila said reforms aimed at improved coordination and more localised policing were intended to safeguard all Nigerians equally, while encouraging constructive civic engagement without undermining national harmony.
He urged Nigerians to recognise that the work of unity is often slow, difficult and uncomfortable, requiring restraint, compromise and trust. Yet, he said history shows that great nations are built by those who rise above fear and division.
Expressing optimism, he said Nigeria has endured past challenges because its people repeatedly chose country over faction at critical moments. He called on leaders and citizens alike to make that choice again by embracing a politics that persuades rather than provokes and unites rather than divides.
Gbajabiamila concluded by urging participants to leave the summit resolved to lead differently, so that history would record that when Nigeria stood at a crossroads, its leaders chose unity, cooperation and the higher calling of nationhood.
He ended with a prayer for Nigeria’s continued peace, unity and prosperity.
The National Coordinator of the 2026 National Summit of the National Forum of Former Legislators (NFFL), Hon. Raphael Igbokwe, called for renewed commitment to national unity, peaceful coexistence and the codification of rotational power sharing between the North and South.
Igbokwe said the gathering was convened to enable former legislators reflect and engage in constructive dialogue on Nigeria’s stability and future beyond 2031.
He described the Forum as a public interest and peace advocacy group committed to building a tolerant, inclusive and prosperous nation.
He recalled that outcomes from previous Northern and Southern dialogue sessions of the Forum affirmed that, in the interest of unity and peace, the South should complete its eight-year tenure, stressing that the current President, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, should be supported to conclude the southern presidency.
Igbokwe noted that struggles over power remained one of the root causes of conflict in the country, arguing that constitutional entrenchment of rotational presidency could foster trust, reduce suspicion and promote fairness among Nigeria’s diverse groups.
He also urged stronger action against insecurity, including the identification and prosecution of sponsors of terrorism, while calling on Nigerians to support security agencies and promote ethnic and religious tolerance.
On political reforms, the NFFL coordinator appealed for former legislators to be recognised as statutory delegates in party conventions and congresses, and called on the government to address the welfare concerns of aging former lawmakers, particularly those of the Second and Third Republics.
He commended the Chief of Staff to the President and convener of the summit, Rt. Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila, for creating a platform for former legislators to contribute to national discourse and reaffirm Nigeria’s unity.
Former Senate President and Chairman of the 2026 National Summit of the National Forum of Former Legislators (NFFL), Ken Nnamani, said former legislators have a responsibility to help educate Nigerians on democratic succession and national unity.
He noted that most voters are not members of political parties and rely on elected representatives for political direction and guidance.
He said the gathering was aimed at equipping former lawmakers to return to their communities and enlighten voters on issues of succession, continuity and the established North–South understanding in Nigeria’s political system.
Nnamani noted that while similar engagements had previously been held for specific regions, the Abuja summit brought together participants from across the federation, reflecting a broader national focus on unity and inclusive dialogue.
He commended the convener of the summit, the Chief of Staff to the President, Rt. Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila, for sustaining the initiative and for creating a platform for former legislators to contribute to national discourse.
