The Elders Senior Citizen for Tinubu 2027 Movement has said it is mobilising elderly Nigerians across the country to deliver about 24 million votes for President Bola Tinubu in the 2027 presidential election.
The group’s Director-General, Dr Bode Olanipekun, disclosed this on Saturday at a press conference in Abuja while responding to questions on the voting strength of senior citizens and the organisation’s electoral target.
Olanipekun said senior citizens accounted for nearly one-quarter of Nigeria’s registered voters, arguing that the demographic could play a decisive role in determining the outcome of the next presidential poll.
According to him, Nigeria has about 93 million registered voters, with elderly Nigerians constituting roughly 24.6 per cent of the figure.
“We are targeting about 24 million votes through mobilisation efforts in all local government areas and wards across the country,” he said.
He also claimed that previous elections showed older Nigerians consistently accounted for about one-quarter of total votes cast nationwide.
Citing the 2023 presidential election, Olanipekun said about 24.9 million votes were recorded, with approximately 6.1 million coming from elderly Nigerians.
He noted that the pattern had remained largely consistent over the years, except during the 2019 general election, which he attributed to increased youth participation driven by social media.
The group, however, lamented that many senior citizens were unaware of Federal Government policies and programmes aimed at improving their welfare.
Olanipekun said the movement’s nationwide sensitisation campaign would educate elderly Nigerians on the benefits of supporting the Tinubu administration and encourage them to participate actively in the electoral process.
He expressed confidence that a second term for Tinubu would guarantee the institutionalisation of reforms being implemented through the National Senior Citizens Centre, preventing future administrations from reversing them.
According to him, professionals were involved in designing the centre’s programmes to ensure their sustainability beyond the current government.
He added that the organisation would continue peaceful advocacy for policies promoting the welfare and dignity of older Nigerians while sustaining engagement with senior citizens across the country.
“Tinubu’s re-election would guarantee the institutionalisation of programmes and policies aimed at improving the welfare of older Nigerians.
“When we re-elect Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu as President, this is our goal and this is our mandate,” he said.
The movement also praised the Tinubu administration for strengthening the National Senior Citizens Centre, describing the move as evidence of renewed commitment to ensuring elderly Nigerians age with dignity.
It further commended ongoing pension reforms, efforts to expand retirement welfare and measures aimed at improving financial security for pensioners.
The group equally welcomed initiatives to improve healthcare for older Nigerians through specialised geriatric services, preventive healthcare, wellness programmes and age-friendly medical services.
It expressed support for plans to establish modern elderly centres and geriatric homes where necessary, while encouraging community-based care systems that preserve family values and protect the dignity of older persons.
The movement also lauded the First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, for promoting gardening, subsistence farming and environmentally friendly activities among senior citizens.
According to the group, the initiatives would enhance food security, create additional sources of income and encourage physical activity among elderly Nigerians.
It maintained that the knowledge and experience of older citizens remained invaluable national assets and called for greater investment in post-retirement skills development, mentorship and capacity-building programmes.
Describing the welfare of senior citizens as a moral obligation rather than charity, the movement urged governments, private organisations, communities and families to prioritise the wellbeing of older persons while backing President Tinubu’s re-election bid in 2027.
