A former Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in South Africa, Mr Bola Babarinde, has called on Nigerians in the diaspora to unite in support of President Bola Tinubu’s re-election bid in the 2027 general elections.
Babarinde, who currently serves as the General Secretary of Renewed Hope Global, made the appeal in a statement issued on Tuesday in Lagos. He argued that no presidential aspirant presently possesses Tinubu’s political reach and national spread to challenge him.
He lamented the persistent divisions among APC leaders abroad and urged them to emulate the enduring bond between President Tinubu and the new Olubadan of Ibadan, Oba Rashidi Ladoja — a relationship he said was built on mutual respect, shared history and loyalty.
“Their bond was not transactional; it was ideological and enduring. This is precisely the kind of vision sorely lacking among many diaspora leaders today,” he said.
According to him, while Nigerians abroad have shown resilience and excellence, disunity and individualism have limited their ability to transform into a formidable political and economic bloc. He warned that unless diaspora leaders learn from past mistakes and adopt a unified strategy, they risk being sidelined even if Tinubu wins in 2027.
“As we move toward 2027, many of us are preparing to campaign vigorously for President Tinubu’s re-election. But unless we adjust our strategies, we risk supporting a winning candidate without positioning ourselves as a unified bloc that deserves recognition and inclusion in governance,” Babarinde said.
He acknowledged growing dissatisfaction among Nigerians abroad but stressed that influence in politics is not gifted but earned through unity, organisation, and strategic positioning.
Babarinde also recalled the diaspora’s contribution to the elections of former President Muhammadu Buhari and Tinubu, saying stronger cohesion could deliver greater influence.
“Let us not allow history to remember us as a divided people who had the chance to reshape Nigeria’s political narrative from abroad but failed due to short-sightedness. The lesson is clear: it’s time to unite, time to lead,” he said.
