A pro-All Progressives Congress (APC) support group, Renewed Hope for the Elderly (RHE), on Friday declared its support for President Bola Tinubu’s re-election bid, pledging to mobilise 24 million elderly Nigerians to vote for him in the 2027 presidential election.

The group said its endorsement was based on Tinubu administration’s commitment to improving the welfare, social protection and political inclusion of senior citizens through targeted policies and programmes.

Speaking at a world press briefing in Abuja on Saturday, the Director-General and National Coordinator of RHE, Dr. Bode Olanipekun said the welfare of elderly Nigerians should remain a national priority, arguing that older persons deserve dignity and adequate support after years of service to the country.

Olanipekun said the group’s decision to mobilise elderly voters was informed by the significant role senior citizens have historically played in determining election outcomes.

“It’s always important. Let me give you an example. In the 2023 presidential election, the total votes cast were 24.7 million. If you look at the elderly and senior citizen category, about 6.1 million votes came from them out of the 24.7 million. That’s important,” he said.

According to him, the trend has remained consistent in previous elections, with the exception of 2019, when increased youth participation, driven largely by social media awareness, altered the voting pattern.

“What we are saying is that the majority of these elderly people are not aware of what good this current administration is pushing forward concerning their well-being and their inclusion.

“So we want to sensitise them, educate them and make them understand the betterment that lies ahead for them if this government is allowed a second term.

“What we are doing is we are going to to all local governments, to all the wards, and by our own statistics and projection, we are looking at approximately 24 million votes. That is what we are looking at,” he said.

He commended the Federal Government for strengthening the National Senior Citizens Centre (NSCC), describing it as evidence of a renewed commitment to addressing the needs of senior citizens.

According to him, the administration has also initiated conversations on pension reforms, improved retirement welfare, expanded access to specialised geriatric healthcare, and programmes aimed at promoting healthy and active ageing.

The group applauded initiatives by First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, including gardening and subsistence farming programmes for elderly citizens, saying they promote food security, improve physical and mental wellbeing, and provide additional sources of income for retirees.

Olanipekun called for sustained investment in post-retirement skills development, entrepreneurship, mentorship and lifelong learning opportunities, noting that retirees remain valuable assets whose experience should continue to contribute to national development.

RHE urged the Federal Government to continue pursuing reforms that guarantee prompt pension payments, affordable healthcare, age-friendly housing, stronger social protection, financial inclusion, digital literacy for retirees, and tougher legal safeguards against elder abuse and discrimination.

The organisation said it would mobilise pensioners, retirees, traditional rulers, faith-based organisations, professional associations and community groups across the country to support Tinubu’s second-term bid.

It maintained that the continuation of the administration would ensure the institutionalisation of policies designed to improve the quality of life of elderly Nigerians.

The group urged senior citizens to register, participate actively in the electoral process and support candidates committed to policies that promote inclusion, social welfare and dignity in old age.