As campaigns for the 2027 general elections gather momentum, the newly elected President of GLOBE Legislators International (GLI) and former two-term member of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Sam Onuigbo, has joined the growing calls for the re-election of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

Onuigbo spoke at the weekend at his Odozi Obodo Hills country home in Obuohia Obi-Ibere, Ikwuano Local Government Area of Abia State, during a stakeholders’ engagement to flag off his campaign for Tinubu’s re-election.

The campaign was launched under his political campaign structure, the Odozi Obodo Campaign Organisation for President Tinubu

Explaining his support for Tinubu, Onuigbo said Nigerians should “keep their eyes on the ball” and work towards securing a second term for the President to enable him to consolidate the foundation he had laid since assuming office in 2023.

Onuigbo, who represented the South-East on the Board of the North-East Development Commission, said Tinubu took a bold decision by removing the fuel subsidy immediately after assuming office, describing the policy as an end to a system that, according to him, benefited less than one per cent of the population.

He also said the administration unified the country’s exchange-rate system, which he described as the termination of what he called “a criminal enterprise of an exchange rate market.”

According to him, the reforms helped position Nigeria as a preferred destination for foreign direct investment (FDI) in Africa.

Onuigbo further credited Tinubu with introducing what he described as inclusive governance that recognised the interests of the South-East.

He recalled that Tinubu was widely criticised by opposition parties over the removal of the fuel subsidy but argued that the policy had contributed to a significant increase in allocations from the Federation Account Allocation Committee (FAAC) to the three tiers of government.

According to him, FAAC allocations rose from N711 billion in 2023 to N4.5 trillion in 2026, adding that state governments now receive significantly more revenue than they did before 2023.

He said the increased inflow of funds had contributed to development projects across many local government areas.

Onuigbo also cited increased refining capacity, crude oil production and foreign reserves as evidence of what he described as the impact of the Tinubu administration’s economic reforms.

“Our refining capacity has increased from 30,000 barrels per day (bpd) in 2023 to 700,000 bpd in 2026. Nigeria was struggling with crude oil production output of 1.3 million bpd in 2023; today, Nigeria has exceeded its OPEC quota by producing over 1.73 million bpd, with foreign reserves increasing from $3.99 billion in 2023 to $51.9 billion in the first half of 2026.

“Just as over N300 billion was invested in the Nigeria Education Loans Fund (NELFUND), among others,” he said.

He further claimed that Tinubu’s foreign trips had attracted more than $50 billion in foreign direct investment, including about $20 billion in 2026.

Onuigbo attributed the reported increase in investor confidence to the administration’s exchange-rate reforms, saying the elimination of the parallel exchange market had removed a major obstacle for foreign investors.

According to him, the relative stability in the economy and exchange rate had earned the Tinubu administration international commendation.

He also cited Nigeria’s reported GDP growth from 2.74 per cent in 2023 to 3.9 per cent in 2026, describing the growth as significant because it was driven largely by the non-oil sector, including financial technology, agriculture and solid minerals.

On what Tinubu had done for the South-East, Onuigbo said the President had demonstrated inclusive governance through a series of policies and appointments.

He cited the establishment of the South-East Development Commission, the appointment of senior military officers from the region, plans for a rail network linking Enugu to Port Harcourt, approval for the construction of Abia Airport, expansion of the Enugu and Owerri airports, and permission for South-East governors to take over the reconstruction of some federal roads with subsequent reimbursement.