Ahead 2027 general elections, the South-West Agenda for Asiwaju (SWAGA), a socio-political, pressure and campaign group, has formally renewed its supports for the reelection of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, in what it code named “SWAGA 2.0”.
Speaking recently at a well attended press conference, SWAGA leaders openly reminisced the group’s journey since its official launch in December 5, 2020 in Ibadan, Oyo State (South West), emphasizing their integral role in championing power shift to Southern Nigeria and the eventual emergence of Tinubu as President.
The group had history of showing proactiveness and also known for not resting on its oars in setting right and timely agenda for attaining political victory.
“At the time, many dismissed us as mere dreamers, but today, history has vindicated us,” SWAGA stated. “We were the first to take the sensitization walk across the South-West, to over 400 palaces and 300 stops in markets, schools, artisan hubs, and youth organizations. We took the message of Asiwaju’s VISION, PASSION, and ACTION across Nigeria.”
Highlighting Tinubu’s performance in office, SWAGA noted that the President had exceeded expectations within his first two years. Key among the achievements listed were: Removal of Fuel Subsidy, Naira Floatation & Financial Reforms, Student Loan Scheme (NELFUND), CNG Investments & Housing Projects, Agricultural Revolution & Food Security Drive, Forex Backlog Clearance & Aviation Sector Boost, Major Infrastructure Projects, Security and Economic Stabilization. , Tax Reforms & Credit Access.
With the slogan, “You ain’t seen nothing yet!”, SWAGA said the next phase of its activities will focus on bridging the gap between Tinubu’s achievements and public awareness.
“This is SWAGA 2.0 – the second round of our journey. We’re not campaigning for any political party yet, but we cannot stay silent on the giant strides President Tinubu is making in rebuilding Nigeria. We shall embark on another nationwide mobilization, thanking those who believed in us, while knocking on new doors with good tidings of a New Nigeria.”
SWAGA stressed that their objective is not partisan at the moment but to amplify the government’s achievements and encourage citizen participation in governance.
The expressed readiness to lead a nationwide sensitization drive that will culminate in Tinubu’s re-election in 2027.
“No Nigerian President since 1999 came into office with the level of preparation, vision, and passion Tinubu has shown. In just two years, the results are visible. Imagine what Nigeria will look like after 8 years under this visionary leadership. We are ready for unprecedented mobilization.”
SWAGA appealed to the media and civil society for continued support as it embarks on what it described as a historic mission to consolidate Nigeria’s return to prosperity.
See full statement reproduced below:
You ain’t seen nothing yet! Swaga 2.0
Gentlemen of the press, Distinguished ladies and gentlemen. It is our pleasure to welcome you here and to bring you up to speed regarding the activities of our social-political pressure group; South-West Agenda for Asiwaju (SWAGA) in the past 5 years.
You all will recall that at our launch in Ibadan on 15th December 2020, we informed Nigerians that we were agitating for power shift to southern Nigeria and especially the south West after the tenure of then President Muhammadu Buhari GCFR; may his soul rest in peace. Amen.
We also informed Nigerians home and abroad that we have identified one individual who not only has the wherewithal to lead the struggle to secure our place in the presidency but who will lead Nigeria on a path to self rediscovery as a giant of Africa that she is supposed to be.
While many believed that we were jokers, a few believed in our vision and mission and the journey proceeded across all the South West states and subsequently into Delta, Imo, Cross Rivers, Kwara, Kogi, Plateau, Benue and other states across the country as Nigerian patriots from other geo-political zones reasoned with our vision and embraced our mission.
We visited over 400 palaces to meet traditional rulers, Chiefs, community leaders and made over 300 sensitization stops visiting workers, market women and men, artisans, students and youth organizations and several interest groups.
We initiated the sensitization and mobilization walk with thousands of people both old and young across the city of Akure, Ondo state before other campaigners followed suit, we visited media houses and met political editors and had robust engagements with them. Our slogan: VISION PASSION ACTION which summarizes and encapsulates the personality and philosophy of Asiwaju Bola Ahmed resonated with the people. When Asiwaju Tinubu finally came out to commence his consultations and campaign tours, we went round the country with him.
As they say, the rest is history and to God be the Glory!
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has not disappointed us who believed in his vision for Nigeria and his capability to drive the mission. We all are witnesses to:
- His prompt removal of the corrupt, crippling and evil fuel subsidy that has fleeced the country for decades and robbed it of legacy developmental projects whilst enriching a few and impoverishing the multitude. The results are visible in more money to the state coffers and the Ministries, Departments and Agencies across the country. It is noteworthy that every notable Presidential candidate in the last election pledged to remove fuel subsidy but we in SWAGA knew that the only person bold enough among them to hit the ground running about this was Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR. We were vindicated.
- He floated the Naira and stopped the reckless printing of currency and corrupt borrowing through the unpopular “ways and means” to defend it against the U.S Dollars thus ensuring stability in its value with increased inflow of Foreign Direct Investment aided by confidence in Nigeria’s economy. (Global rating Institutions like Fitch has upgraded Nigeria to “B”. Moody upgraded Nigeria to “B3 while S&P upgraded Nigeria to “B”. Most of these rated Nigeria negatively before now).
- Tinubu has introduced the legacy Student’s Loan scheme through the establishment of NELFUND. This provides students with yearly tuition fee and monthly upkeep allowances. Funding will no longer be a challenge to the tertiary educational hope of any Nigerian Student again.
- The Federal Government has built and is still building across the country thousands of homes for citizens under its renewed hope housing scheme.
- The administration under President Tinubu introduced CNG and invested over N250Billion into it. This has reduced the impact of fossil fuels on our environment whilst providing cheaper transportation alternatives for commuters and motorists and further creating jobs for technicians.
- There has been substantial increase in local production of refined petroleum products with the Dangote refinery and other modular and smaller refineries in operation. Favourable government policies are encouraging unprecedented investment in this sector and, Nigeria is on the way to becoming a net exporter of refined petroleum products. This is a great leap from the economy crushing position of total importation of these products.
- There has just been a multi-Billion Naira investment by the Federal Government towards ensuring food security through NALDA with an initial purchase of 2000 tractors and 10 implements attached to each of them. We have equally been told that an agreement has been signed to establish a tractor and farm implements assembly centre in Nigeria.
- The President has directed the establishment of the National Credit Guarantee Company to ensure that eligible Nigerians all have access to credit.
- The Tinubu-led government has cleared forex backlog claim by foreign airlines thus crashing the hitherto high cost of tickets for flights from Nigeria. This has greatly increased the confidence of foreign operators in our aviation sector.
- Nigeria now exports more than import (this is evident in the recent trade surplus of about 209.6% amounting to a whopping N18.86. Trillion for 2024).
- Mr President has, apart from paying wage award to civil servants across the country, increased the National minimum wage for workers and even the members of NYSC.
- There are game changing road construction works on going across the country from the iconic Lagos-Calabar Coastal Road project to Badagry- Sokoto expressway and numerous others undergoing reconstruction etc.
- At least the establishment of 11 new universities have been signed into Law by President Tinubu between 2024 and 2025 thus improving and expanding access to tertiary education.
- The launch of youth-centric 3MTT (Three Million Technical Talents) program has opened doors for Nigerian youth into training on the use of innovation and technology in providing solutions to modern day challenges.
- Abuja, the Federal Capital city that has stagnated in terms of development for decades has witnessed unprecedented infrastructural transformation in the last 2 years.
- The President has introduced a very dynamic and robust tax reforms excusing the lower income earners from tax payment while bringing more organizations and hitherto evasive individuals into the tax net.
- The security situation has improved tremendously especially in places like Kaduna State and the North-East that were hitherto the hotspot of ethno-religious killings and cleansing.
- There has been relative calm in the Niger Delta region leading to unprecedented increase in oil production and sales thus earning more income for the country.
- The capital market has stabilized as one of the global top performers with increased investor confidence in the economy.
- Electricity generation is now peaking at about 13 Megawatts whilst distribution is becoming steady and regular across the country.
- Increased revenue sharing to states and local governments have enabled them to undertake development projects while paying increased salary to workers thus reducing labour restiveness across the country.
- There are at least 13 legacy road projects ongoing simultaneously under Tinubu led administration:
9th Mile-Oturkpo-Makurdi Road
Sokoto-Badagry Highway
Abuja-Kaduna-Zaria-Kano Dual Carriageway.
Abuja-Lokoja-Benin Road
Enugu-Onitsha Expressway
Benin – Asaba Super Highway
Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway
Oyo -Ogbomoso Expressway
Bose Saadu – Kaima-Kosubosu Road
Enugu-Port Harcourt Expressway
Bodo-Bonny Road
Lagos – Ibadan Expressway
Second Niger Bridge Access Road
It is on record that this is the only federal government that has made it a policy to use rigid concrete for the construction of these and other roads in Nigeria.
At the onset of our sensitization/advocacy activities in 2020 we took upon ourselves the duty of persuading President Tinubu to declare interest in contesting for Presidency and we also sensitized Nigerians that we had identified the right person to lead Nigeria back to the path of abundance and prosperity.
Asiwaju Tinubu answered the clarion call and came into office well prepared for the task ahead; no wonder he began to make impact from 29th May 2023 when he took oath of office.
We hereby make bold to say that since 1999 till date, no Nigerian president has come into office with the kind of preparation, vision and passion that President Tinubu has displayed.
We are of the firm conviction that if a government in Nigeria has been able to achieve so much within just 2 years in office in terms of projects and policies, then Nigerians are in for better and brighter future in 4 years and ultimately more will be done and the country will experience exponential development and growth in 8 years under the visionary and courageous leadership of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR.
Jagaban is just bringing out the proverbial “bird” from his pocket – “Asiwaju sese n’ mu eye bo l’apo ni”. You ain’t seen nothing yet!!!
OUR CURRENT POSITION
This is SWAGA 2.0. The second round of our journey.
We cut across the political divides in Nigeria and Nigeria’s interest is our priority.
We have taken it as a duty to project good governance to the people and sensitize them on the need to support the giant strides of President Tinubu as he rebuilds Nigeria.
We told Nigerians five years ago about his sterling qualities and we have been vindicated.
We are about to sensitize them about things to expect along the journey of the present administration.
We are not campaigning for any political party because it is not yet time for campaigns but we won’t close our eyes and shut our mouths to the good things currently happening in our country.
Our membership is increasing with leaps and bounds across Nigeria.
We shall seek out opinions of leaders and moulders, communal and sectoral leaders, professional and business people and bring the good tidings to them in their abodes.
We shall be thanking some for giving us their support and lending us their ears in the past while we shall be knocking on new doors armed with good news about the dawn of the new Nigeria we have all dreamt of.
It is the start of the second round of our journey and we want everyone on board as we begin. We are prepared for massive and unprecedented mobilization across the country for the well deserved second term election of this quintessential leader.
We thank you sincerely for creating time to be with us and we solicit your support and solidarity as we go on.
Thank you and God bless.
