2027: NUP endorses Tinubu’s re-election, urges pensioners to vote in large numbers

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President Tinubu.

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By Johnbosco Agbakwuru

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ABUJA – The Nigeria Union of Pensioners, NUP, on Wednesday, officially endorsed President Bola Tinubu for the 2027 general election, urging millions of pensioners nationwide to vote overwhelmingly for him in gratitude for what it described as his unparalleled support for retirees.

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Mazi Godwin Abumisi, National President of the NUP, issued the directive in Abuja during the commissioning of the Comrade Godwin Abumisi Pensioners’ Legacy House — a new multi-purpose hall and apartment complex at the union’s national headquarters.

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Speaking to dignitaries, labour leaders and pensioners from across the country, Abumisi said President Tinubu’s administration has shown strong commitment to pensioners’ welfare, citing approved pension increases, payment of arrears and settlement of accrued entitlements.

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He promised the union would return the President’s goodwill with overwhelming electoral support in 2027.

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Abumisi said: “We express our profound gratitude to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and his administration for providing an enabling environment for Nigerian pensioners and our union through his sustained approval for a series of pension increases, payment of pension arrears and accrued rights, which has consequently energized our resource base.”

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He further said: “We shall never forget this goodwill in a hurry, as we also promise to reciprocate the kind gesture at the appropriate time soonest.”

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The declaration was greeted with applause from hundreds of pensioners who attended the event, signalling what observers described as the union’s first formal political endorsement ahead of the 2027 presidential election.

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Abumisi urged pensioners nationwide to remain united behind the administration, insisting that the President had shown genuine concern for the welfare of senior citizens through policies aimed at improving their living conditions.

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The NUP President recounted the journey that culminated in the completion of the Legacy House, describing the project as a fulfilment of his administration’s vision to leave the union stronger than it met it.

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According to him, the project began in 2019 when his predecessor, Dr. Abel Afolayan, acquired the land for ₦60 million, while his administration prioritised the construction of the edifice as a lasting symbol of unity and pride for pensioners nationwide.

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“In my vision to leave the union better than I met it, I made the construction of this Legacy House the topmost priority of my administration to serve as a symbol of unity and pride for the Nigeria Union of Pensioners and pensioners across the country,” he said.

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Abumisi equally announced that the union had immortalised key personalities who had contributed to its growth and the completion of the project.

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He disclosed that the two topmost apartments in the building had been named after Kano State Governor, Abba Kabir Yusuf, and Niger State Governor, Mohammed Umar Bago, in appreciation of their financial, moral and logistical support to the union during its 2025 National Delegates Conference in Kano.

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According to him, the governors’ support significantly contributed to the successful execution of the project.

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The NUP President also announced that two other apartments would bear the names of former union presidents, Chief Laleye Adegun and Alhaji Ali Abatcha, while the 200-seat auditorium had been named after the immediate past National President, Dr. Abel Afolayan, in recognition of their meritorious service to the union.

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He further revealed that the entire complex had been officially christened “Comrade Godwin Abumisi Pensioners’ Legacy House” following a resolution of the union’s National Executive Council.

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Abumisi also acknowledged the support received from the Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment, the National Pension Commission (PenCom), the Pension Transitional Arrangement Directorate (PTAD), the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and other stakeholders, describing their contributions as instrumental to the growth of the union and the successful completion of the landmark project.

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He thanked the institutions for their unwavering commitment to pensioners’ welfare and pledged that the union would continue to work with relevant stakeholders to advance the interests of retirees across the country.

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