President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and High Chief Promise Lawuru

By Watchmann

As Nigeria approaches another critical election, a top formidable group known as Southern Youth Movement (SYM) has called on the Southern regions, South West, South South, and South East to take a hard look at the political dynamics at play and throw their weight behind the reelection of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu come 2027.

Addressing journalists in a press conference at Egbema in Delta State, National Leader of the group, High Chief Promise Lawuru (aka Ozigizaga) clarified that the 2027 election is beyond party loyalty, adding that the election presents a larger question of regional equity, national balance, and long-term political strategy.

He said; “We are calling on everyone in the southern Nigeria to rally behind President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s reelection bid, even if it means setting aside partisan preferences”.

“Nigeria has operated for decades with an understanding of rotating presidential power between the North and the South; and this pattern has been key in managing ethnic tensions and maintaining national cohesion.”

“Therefore, a failure by southern regions to support a sitting southern president would not only break this pattern it would also strengthen arguments from the North that the South lacks the political will to hold power collectively. Such risks diminishing southern influence in future political arrangements”.

Lawuru further explained that; “If the calls for some northern quarters to ‘return power to the North after just one term of the south’, is allowed to succeed, it could set a dangerous precedent: one where the North enjoys extended periods in power while the South is limited to symbolic, one-term tenures. This imbalance would gradually entrench northern political dominance and erode the ability of southern zones to assert their place in national leadership”.

“Supporting Tinubu’s reelection transcends political affiliation, it’s a matter of regional strength and unity. When the South West, South South, and South East vote in solidarity, they demonstrate collective resolve. This unity not only enhances southern bargaining power at the federal level but also signals that the region can protect its own. In politics, respect is earned through unity and consistency”.

The Southern Youth Leader continued; “Therefore, giving President Tinubu a second term ensures continuity in addressing these priorities. Development takes time, and abandoning projects midway often means starting from scratch.

“Ideally, voting should be based on merit, vision, and performance, not ethnicity. However, when a bloc consistently uses ethnic mobilization to gain and retain power, others must respond strategically to protect their own interests. Supporting Tinubu is not just about his person, it is about reinforcing the principle that all regions deserve a fair shot at national leadership. It is a stand for equity, fairness, and democratic justice”.

“This moment demands strategic clarity, not partisan sentiment. The South must shine this eyes and look beyond party lines and embrace the broader objective of sustaining southern political equity in Nigeria’s evolving democracy. Tinubu’s reelection is not just a political decision but a regional imperative”. Lawuru further explained.