Diaspora group backs Tinubu for 2027, seeks voting rights for Nigerians abroad
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Diaspora group backs Tinubu for 2027, seeks voting rights for Nigerians abroad
By Alabidun Shuaib AbdulRahman
The Diaspora Boys Movement has declared its support for the re-election of President Bola Tinubu in the 2027 general elections, saying it is mobilising Nigerians living abroad across more than 100 countries.
The Director-General of the movement, Tunde Olofin, disclosed this in Abuja while speaking at the Association of Corporate Online Editors Roundtable Initiative.
Olofin said the movement had established coordinators and structures in several countries and across Nigeria to mobilise support for Tinubu ahead of the 2027 elections.
He said the group’s decision was based on what it described as reforms and achievements recorded by the Tinubu administration since it assumed office in 2023.
Olofin cited the removal of the petrol subsidy and the unification of the foreign exchange market as some of the difficult decisions taken by the administration, which he said were aimed at restoring fiscal stability and improving the investment environment.
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He also listed youth empowerment programmes, infrastructure development and efforts to attract foreign investment among the areas the group said informed its position.
According to him, increased revenue available for distribution among the three tiers of government and renewed foreign investor interest were among the outcomes the movement associated with the administration’s economic reforms.
On youth development, Olofin cited the Nigerian Education Loan Fund and the 3 Million Technical Talent programme.
He said the initiatives demonstrated the administration’s recognition of young Nigerians as important participants in national development.
Olofin also cited Federal Government figures indicating that NELFUND had supported more than 1.5 million students as of May 2026, with over N282bn disbursed, while the 3MTT programme was designed to equip three million Nigerians with technical skills.
The movement also commended the Federal Government’s infrastructure programme, citing the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway, Sokoto-Badagry Highway, railway projects, power-sector reforms and investments in agriculture.
Olofin said the projects were expected to improve connectivity, stimulate economic activity and create employment opportunities.
He further said the group was encouraged by what it described as the administration’s commitment to democratic values, including the rule of law, press freedom and engagement with civil society and grassroots organisations.
Beyond its support for Tinubu, the movement said it would campaign for greater participation of Nigerians living abroad in the country’s electoral process.
Olofin said the group would engage the National Assembly and other stakeholders on the possibility of introducing diaspora voting.
He said the proposed arrangement would enable eligible Nigerians living abroad to participate in elections without travelling to Nigeria.
“We are going to challenge, push and champion the National Assembly. We are going to push for collaboration and attract more people,” Olofin said.
He argued that Nigerians in the diaspora had continued to contribute to the Nigerian economy through remittances, investments and support for families and communities at home.
He said such contributions should be complemented by greater opportunities for Nigerians abroad to participate in the democratic process.
Olofin said the movement had members and structures in countries including France, Malaysia, the United States, The Gambia, Sudan and Turkey, as well as in Nigeria.
He said the organisation was still compiling its membership figures across its various chapters but maintained that its international presence would provide a platform for sustained engagement with Nigerians abroad.
According to him, the mobilisation would not end with the 2027 elections, as the organisation intended to remain involved in civic and electoral matters beyond the current election cycle.
Olofin said the movement would continue to engage communities, young people and Nigerians in the diaspora on governance, development and national unity.
He acknowledged that some of the economic reforms had created difficulties for Nigerians, particularly during their initial implementation.
He, however, urged citizens to remain patient as the government consolidated what the movement described as gains from the reforms.
The Diaspora Boys Movement said it would continue to support initiatives it believes promote good governance, youth inclusion, economic development and national unity while mobilising its structures in Nigeria and abroad ahead of the 2027 elections.
