Former Deputy Governor of Edo State, Philip Shaibu, has declared that the only coalition Nigerians should support ahead of the 2027 presidential election is one that rallies behind President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for a second term.
Speaking at the weekend during his visit to the headquarters of the Tinubu Support Group (TSG) in Abuja, the Director-General of the Nigerian Institute of Sports dismissed the recently formed opposition coalition, describing it as a gathering of “people who looted the economy,” and seeking to return to power to continue looting.
“The foundation of our nation was already broken, one man came and said we must strengthen the foundation. Have you wondered why they are fighting Tinubu? It is because of the foundation,” he said.
Shaibu urged members of the TSG to begin grassroots mobilisation for Tinubu’s re-election.
“We have seen it today that those characters that led to the situation the President is fixing now are now gathering in the name of a coalition.
“So the message now is that the TSG should go and form a coalition for the President’s re-election in 2027 because we have all seen that just in two years, the foundation of the country is solidified again. The only person that can build on the solid foundation that he has laid is the President himself,” he said.
He urged supporters to return to their states, wards, and units to educate both rural and urban dwellers on the “renewed hope” policies of the Tinubu administration.
The former deputy governor took a swipe at opposition figures, accusing them of poor performance despite holding key positions in the past.
“One of them said he is hungry; he didn’t know when he voiced it out. Someone that was a minister in a good ministry and governor for eight years,” Shaibu said.
He insisted that Tinubu’s first four years should be seen as a rebuilding phase.
“Every sector you enter, the man is building renewed hope. Asiwaju is helping us build the future. These characters know it’s not business as usual. The first four years is building the foundation. You can’t build a skyscraper on a faulty foundation,” he added.
Nigeria’s Economy Bouncing Back – Says Shaibu
Shaibu also cited recent positive assessments from international institutions as proof that Tinubu’s reforms are working.
He said, “Look at our foreign reserve that was depleted, the economy is bouncing back. The WTO Director-General, Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, has made her own comment, the World Bank and others are making their own statements on the stability of the country. President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has stabilised the country.”
He concluded by insisting: “The only coalition we must agree to is Asiwaju for 2027.”
On his part, the Director-General of the Tinubu Support Group, Umar Tanko Yakassai, described the opposition alliance as a collection of desperate politicians.
“Coalition is a pack of bags. It’s the coalition of people who want to take over and continue looting. We know most of them since we were kids; all of them have been in government,” he said.
Yakassai insisted that none of the opposition leaders could match Tinubu’s record.
“Someone spent eight years in Aso Rock and has not done what Tinubu has done in two years,” he declared.
Yakassai also called for TSG members to be accommodated through political appointments and empowerment programmes to motivate them ahead of the 2027 campaigns.
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