I verified the report against contemporary coverage. The remarks were made by retired Major General Abdulmalik Jibrin at a One-Million-Student Solidarity Walk in Abuja organised by the Renewed Hope Project 2027 and the “Tinubu Again” movement. Because this concerns an election, the report below attributes the political claims rather than presenting them as established facts.
Retired General Jibrin Says Not Re-Electing Tinubu in 2027 Would Be a ‘Colossal Mistake’
Retired Major General Abdulmalik Jibrin has described failure to re-elect President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in the 2027 presidential election as a “colossal mistake,” calling for continued support for the President.
Jibrin, who chairs the Board of Trustees of the Renewed Hope Project 2027, made the remarks in Abuja during a One-Million-Student Solidarity Walk organised in support of Tinubu ahead of the 2027 election.
The rally, organised in collaboration with the “Tinubu Again” movement, began at the Unity Fountain and ended at Eagle Square, with students and youth supporters participating in the event.
Addressing participants, Jibrin argued that continuity was important for sustaining what he described as gains from the Tinubu administration’s ongoing reforms.
“It shall be a colossal mistake by Nigerians if we don’t give President Bola Ahmed Tinubu another opportunity to govern this country for the next four years,” he said, according to reports of the event.
The retired general particularly highlighted education policies under the current administration, pointing to the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND) and increased funding for tertiary institutions.
Jibrin said the funding provided to institutions had supported expansion, the creation of new faculties and greater attention to technical education and skills development. He also argued that the student-loan programme could help students from families struggling to meet the cost of tertiary education.
The event also featured comments from other supporters of the President's re-election campaign.
Ahmed Mahmoud Mubi, the group's National Patron, said the organisation had increased its target for student support ahead of the 2027 election. According to Vanguard, the group said it had registered 1.8 million students on its platform and was targeting 12 million votes for Tinubu.
NELFUND Managing Director Akintunde Sawyerr also addressed the gathering and called on students to consider the government's education interventions when making their political choices.
Sawyerr said that, as of September 2026, NELFUND had processed about 1.66 million student-loan applications and disbursed ₦355.87 billion since the application portal opened in May 2024. He said ₦192.89 billion had gone to 319 tertiary institutions as institutional fees, while ₦162.98 billion had been paid directly to students as upkeep allowances.
Jibrin's comments come as political activities and mobilisation intensify ahead of Nigeria's 2027 general election.
The 2027 presidential contest is expected to feature competing parties and candidates, with voters ultimately deciding at the polls. Jibrin's remarks represent the position of the pro-Tinubu group organising the Abuja event.