2027: Coalition of Federal Parastatal CEOs Moves to Support Tinubu’s Re-election Bid
ABUJA — The Forum of CEOs of Federal Parastatals (FORCEPA) has announced plans to support President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s re-election campaign ahead of the 2027 general elections, positioning the coalition as a platform for communicating the Federal Government’s policies, reforms and achievements.
The initiative, according to a commentary by development journalist Omonu Nelson, is intended to complement the activities of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Presidential Campaign Council by drawing on the institutional experience, professional expertise and nationwide networks of federal agency heads.
The forum, led by its chairman, Dr. Kazeem Kolawole Raji, Director-General of the National Board for Technology Incubation, has engaged the APC National Chairman, Prof. Nentawe Yilwatda, and members of the party’s National Working Committee on its proposed role in the 2027 campaign.
The coalition aims to strengthen communication between government institutions and the public by providing information on policy implementation, public programmes and development initiatives. Its proposed approach centres on using verifiable evidence and the experiences of implementing agencies to explain the administration’s record.
Nelson argued that the participation of agency heads could provide an additional technical and communication structure for the ruling party, particularly in explaining complex government policies and reaching communities beyond conventional campaign platforms.
He noted that the 2027 election campaign would place greater emphasis on assessing the administration’s performance since taking office in May 2023, making credible information about policy outcomes, economic reforms and public service delivery central to political communication.
The commentary also referenced assessments by the International Monetary Fund, World Bank, African Development Bank, Fitch Ratings and S&P Global Ratings on Nigeria’s economic reform programme. These institutions have issued assessments of various aspects of the country’s economic policies, including fiscal reforms, revenue mobilisation and external balances.
However, the extent to which these reforms translate into improved household incomes, lower living costs, job creation and stronger purchasing power remains an important consideration for voters.
### Raji, Ajiboye to Lead Strategic Mobilisation and Communication
Dr. Raji, who chairs FORCEPA, brings more than 25 years of experience in telecommunications, engineering, project management and technological innovation, according to the commentary.
An alumnus of the University of Ibadan, where he served as Hall Chairman of Nnamdi Azikiwe Hall, Raji also participated in the APC’s 2023 presidential campaign as Director of National Youth Mobilisation for the Southwest region under the Tinubu-Shettima Presidential Campaign Council.
His experience in technology and political mobilisation is expected to inform the forum’s proposed strategy of connecting policy implementation with public communication.
Another key figure in the initiative is Otunba Biodun Ajiboye, Executive Secretary of the National Institute for Cultural Orientation (NICO) and chairman of FORCEPA’s Media and Publicity Committee.
Ajiboye, a media professional and advertising practitioner with more than three decades of experience, is expected to coordinate the forum’s communication strategy and public messaging.
He has argued that communicating the administration’s achievements should not be left exclusively to the Presidential Campaign Council, maintaining that federal agencies and their leadership possess firsthand knowledge of government programmes and their implementation.
The proposed arrangement would allow the forum to identify communication gaps, provide technical information on government initiatives and reinforce public awareness of policies across different sectors.
### Economic Performance and Public Expectations
The coalition’s proposed political engagement comes amid continuing public debate over the effects of the Tinubu administration’s economic reforms, including fuel subsidy removal and foreign exchange policy changes.
While international financial institutions and credit-rating agencies have acknowledged developments in some areas of Nigeria’s macroeconomic management, concerns over inflation, the cost of living and household purchasing power remain significant.
Nelson argued that the forum’s effectiveness would depend on its ability to connect policy explanations with tangible outcomes that Nigerians can experience in their daily lives.
He maintained that the coalition could serve as a link between government policy implementation and public understanding, particularly if its members communicate measurable results and provide clear information about the impact of federal programmes.
The forum’s proposed role would complement, rather than replace, the APC’s political structures and campaign machinery. Its ability to influence public opinion will depend on the credibility of its communication, the evidence presented to support its claims and the extent to which citizens experience improvements in their living conditions.
With the 2027 general elections approaching, the emergence of FORCEPA as a proposed platform for coordinated engagement by federal parastatal chief executives signals another development in preparations for the ruling party’s re-election campaign.
The initiative places policy communication, institutional performance and public accountability at the centre of its proposed strategy, as the administration seeks to present its record to Nigerians ahead of the next electoral contest.
By Omonu Nelson, Development Journalist, Abuja.
