A prominent support group for President Bola Tinubu has dismissed threats of a unified opposition challenge in the 2027 elections, claiming his economic reforms have made him “unbeatable.”The Tinubu Stakeholders Forum (TSF) was responding to recent comments by veteran politician Buba Galadima, who suggested that a coalition of opposition parties could oust the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
In a sharply worded statement, the TSF described such talk as “baseless grandstanding,” arguing that the President’s “courageous” policy shifts have already saved the country from fiscal collapse.
Economic ‘surgery’
Since taking office in 2023, President Tinubu has introduced a series of aggressive economic measures, most notably the removal of a popular but costly fuel subsidy and the unification of the country’s multiple exchange rates. While these moves triggered a significant cost-of-living crisis and high inflation, the TSF argues the “surgery” is now yielding results. The group cited a surge in energy investment, noting that Nigeria captured 38% of sanctioned oil and gas projects in Africa between 2024 and 2025.”These are not routine political gestures, but nation-defining actions,” said Ahmad Sajoh and Danjuma Sada, the group’s chairman and secretary. They pointed to data suggesting that without these interventions, dozens of Nigeria’s 36 states would have been unable to pay civil servants’ salaries.
The ‘pro-people’ dividend
To counter the narrative that the reforms have only brought hardship, the TSF highlighted several social interventions:
Wages: A more than 100% increase in the national minimum wage.
Education: A landmark student loan scheme that has reportedly reached over 800,000 students.
Employment: A vocational training programme (TVET) aimed at equipping one million young Nigerians with technical skills and starter packs for businesses.
A ‘recycled’ opposition
The political landscape in Nigeria remains volatile. The TSF mocked the idea of an opposition merger, calling it a “recycled coalition of ambition” that lacks a credible vision for the country. The group specifically pointed to the recent internal friction within the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) as evidence that the opposition is too fragmented to mount a serious challenge.
For many Nigerians, the debate remains centered on the pocketbook. While the TSF celebrates “investor confidence” and “fiscal discipline,” the man on the street is still grappling with the long-term effects of the reforms the government insists are necessary for survival.
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