(DDM) – No fewer than 17 former members of Nigeria’s National Assembly have openly rejected and distanced themselves from an endorsement of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s second-term ambition ahead of 2027.
The rejection followed a summit reportedly organised under the platform of the National Forum of Former Legislators, which publicly declared support for Tinubu’s re-election bid.
The event was convened by the Chief of Staff to the President, Rt. Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila, and attracted a number of prominent former federal lawmakers.
Among those present at the summit were former Senate Presidents Pius Anyim and Ken Nnamani, as well as former Speakers of the House of Representatives, Patricia Etteh and Yakubu Dogara.
The endorsement was announced as a show of cross-party solidarity in support of Tinubu’s continuity in office.
However, the development immediately triggered backlash from another bloc of former legislators who described the endorsement as misleading and illegitimate.
In a strongly worded joint statement issued on Saturday, the 17 former lawmakers denied any involvement in the gathering or its outcome.
They insisted they were never consulted and did not authorise anyone to speak or act on their behalf.
The lawmakers warned Nigerians against what they described as a carefully staged political exercise designed to create false consensus.
They declared unequivocally that they would never associate with what they termed a contrived summit hastily assembled to endorse the president.
According to them, the process lacked transparency, inclusiveness, and moral credibility.
The former legislators alleged that the endorsement was driven largely by inducements rather than sincere engagement with the broader community of ex lawmakers.
They argued that political credibility cannot be bought or manufactured through financial incentives.
Describing the summit in harsh terms, they labelled it a “cash-and-carry political carnival” made up of a rented and handpicked crowd.
They accused the organisers of attempting to manufacture artificial legitimacy for the president’s second-term ambition.
The lawmakers further stated that a small group of individuals could not legitimately claim to represent hundreds of former legislators nationwide.
They criticised what they described as closed-door meetings where inducements were allegedly shared to secure loyalty.
Such actions, they said, amounted to deception, manipulation, and democratic fraud.
The group stressed that their names, reputations, and identities must not be used without their explicit consent.
They declared firmly that former legislators were not commodities to be traded for political advantage.
“Our names are not for sale, our legacy is not merchandise,” they asserted in the statement.
The former lawmakers also challenged the Tinubu administration to focus on governance rather than symbolic endorsements.
They argued that endorsements cannot replace measurable performance in office.
According to them, any administration seeking a second term must present concrete results to Nigerians.
They listed key benchmarks such as improved security, reduced hunger, job creation, and economic stabilisation.
They maintained that public displays of political support do not translate into effective governance.
The group announced its total dissociation from the summit and rejected any endorsement issued in its name or on its behalf.
They condemned what they described as the monetisation of democratic institutions and political processes.
The lawmakers warned that Nigeria’s democracy must not be auctioned to the highest bidder.
DDM gathered that the signatories to the statement cut across different regions and political backgrounds.
Those who signed include Hon. Sergius Oguns, Hon. Herman Hembe, Hon. Sam Okwu, Hon. Zakari Mohammed, and Hon. Tom Zakari.
Others are Hon. Mohammed Soba, Hon. Chika Adamu, Hon. Sadiq Ibrahim, Hon. Tajudeen Ajagbe, and Hon. Supo Abiodun.
Additional signatories include Hon. Danlad Donald Olayonu, Hon. Abubakar Amuda Kannike, Hon. Rufus Omiri, Hon. Mayor Eze, and Hon. Kamil Akinlabi.
Also listed are Hon. Shaaba Ibrahim and Hon. Nkwo Nkole.
The public disagreement has exposed growing cracks among political elites as early manoeuvring for the 2027 presidential election intensifies.
