•Tinubu
In a major move, loyalists of President Bola Tinubu have regrouped in the bid to revive structures used to lead his campaign across the six geopolitical zones in the country.
This is coming amid fresh details about the meeting convened by members of the National Forum of Former Legislators (Northern Caucus) over the weekend in Abuja, reports Nigeran Tribune.
The meeting, which the conveners said was attended by about 150 members, was observed by representatives of the forum from the three zones in the southern part of the country.
Sources said each zone has the discretion to decide on when to convene similar meetings based on the agenda of backing the president’s reelection bid in 2027.
Some former principal officers of the legislature told our correspondent yesterday that the gathering tagged: 2025 Dialogue Session, was part of the revival of the structures of pro-Tinubu groups in the buildup to the 2023 general election.
It was gathered that, for instance, leaders of the South-West Agenda for Asiwaju (SWAGA) are set to unveil plans this week.
The chieftains and representatives of the group from the six states in the zone are to converge on Lagos to synergise amid the rising tempo of horse-trading for the next general election.
The national chairman of SWAGA is a former Minister of Works, Senator Dayo Adeyeye while the national secretary is a former House of Representatives, Honourable Bosun Oladele.
Honourable Oladele, who confirmed the plans to out correspondent yesterday, explained that SWAGA was in touch with leaders across other zones, especially in the South-South and the North Central on the goal of the movement.
Sources said the meeting convened by members of the National Forum of Former Legislators (Northern Caucus) was reportedly attended by some serving ministers who were former parliamentarians, as well serving lawmakers from the North, which sources claimed dwelt extensively on the performance index of the Tinubu administration, challenges and complaints by members of the Forum that they have been sidelined by the government they helped to come to power through the 2023 elections.
On the complaint by them that the Chief of Staff to the President had not been accessible, the former Speaker of the House of Representatives was said to have apologised to the Forum members, stating his action was not deliberate.
“The meeting was organised by the tactical committee of the legislators from the North and not the Chief of Staff of the president, Honourable Femi Gbajabiamila. Each state was represented by six members and those who were not invited was not deliberate. Honourable Gbajabiamila was invited as a guest speaker,” a former parliamentarian said.
“We gave assessment of what we have done and what we can do better. We gave assessment about what happened in Kaduna and other states and zones. Yes, it is like a wake-up call.
“We had ministers who narrated their experience; we had senators and appointees. Our first assignment was to assess the achievements of the government, the challenges, and we now proffered solutions, just as we itemised the complaints of the citizens,” he said.
Another delegate to the meeting and former Speaker of Kogi State, Honourable Abdullahi Bello, who was among the six representatives of the state caucus at the meeting, shed light on the session.
“I was at the 2025 Dialogue Session of the National Forum of Former Legislators (Northern Caucus), that took place last Thursday, the 31st of July, 2025 here in Abuja.
“First, it wasn’t true that the said meeting was convened by Rt Hon Femi Gbaja the Chief of Staff to Mr President. He only came there as one of our guest speakers.
Two, we did not expect all former legislators from the North to be on the same page with us. Remember, it is always normal for members to raise objection to valid and positive matters during plenary when we are in the hallowed chamber of the House.
“We have spoken, and they’re free too to convene their own meeting and take position on what they think is in their minority interests.
“The import of our dialogue of last Thursday was that we are confident of leading Mr President into the next general election victory in 2027, and with absolute certainty in-shaa Allah,” he stated.
