• PBAT Door-to-Door Movement inaugurates state, LG structures in Jos

Juliet Akoje In Abuja.

The Grand Patron of the PBAT Door-to-Door Movement, High Chief Government Ekpemupolo, popularly known as Tompolo, National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Prof. Nentawe Yilwatda, Plateau State Governor, Caleb Mutfwang and other political leaders have called on the people of Plateau State to take the lead in mobilising support for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s re-election bid in 2027.

They made the call on Wednesday in Jos, the state capital during the inauguration of the movement’s state and local government structures, alongside the unveiling of 25 vehicles and other campaign materials for its mobilisation activities.

Speaking at the event, Ekpemupolo, who was represented by the Managing Director of Tantita Security Services Limited, Dr. Kestin Pondi urged the people of Plateau to spearhead the campaign for Tinubu’s re-election.

He said the President prioritised the security of the state and remained committed to restoring and sustaining peace across the area.

Tompolo described Tinubu as a courageous leader, patriot and reformer who had taken bold decisions to reposition the country and place it on the path of progress.

Delivering his principal’s message, Pondi said the President’s reform agenda required patience, noting that the benefits would gradually extend to Nigerians across different sectors of the economy.

“President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is a courageous man, a lover of country and a reformer. He is reforming the country, and reforms, as we all know, take time,” he said.

He noted that the reform process was gradual but expressed confidence that its benefits would eventually reach Nigerians, pointing to improvements in the payment of workers’ salaries by state governments, the execution of development projects and renewed interest from investors.

According to him, increased investment would create employment opportunities and generate wider economic benefits for citizens.

Pondi likened the current economic situation to planting a seed, explaining that growth and eventual harvest required time and patience but would ultimately produce results.

“Our Grand Patron has asked me to appeal to you to be patient and support the re-election of our President in 2026,” Pondi said, quoting Tompolo.

He identified the proposed establishment of state police as one of the outcomes of the ongoing reforms, noting that nearly 30 state Houses of Assembly had already passed the relevant bill.

Pondi maintained that the reforms would transform Nigeria, insisting that Tinubu deserved a second term to consolidate his policies. He cited Japan, China and the Asian Tigers as examples of economies that had taken time to achieve their present levels of development.

He urged the newly inaugurated coordinators to intensify grassroots mobilisation by reaching out to residents in their homes, markets and mosques, stressing that they must take the message of Tinubu’s re-election to every community.

He added that the President meant well for the country and deserved another four years to deepen and consolidate his administration’s reform agenda.

Speaking at the gathering, APC National Chairman, Prof. Yilwatda, said Plateau residents had sufficient reasons to support Tinubu’s re-election in 2027, arguing that the President had demonstrated goodwill towards the state and the country at large.

He called on voters to re-elect Tinubu, Mutfwang and other candidates contesting on the APC platform, describing the President as a dependable ally of Plateau State.

“Re-elect the President and Governor and all others on the ticket of the APC. Mr President is a friend of the Plateau. No president has stood with us as President Tinubu,” he said.

Yilwatda cited security interventions by the Federal Government, including the deployment of personnel of the Department of State Services (DSS) to Bokkos, Riyom and other affected communities, as evidence of the administration’s commitment to tackling insecurity.

He also disclosed that Tinubu had directed the establishment and deployment of additional military brigades and battalions, alongside increased troop presence, to strengthen security operations.

The APC chairman further said Plateau was among nine states selected for the first phase of the forest guards initiative, expressing confidence that the personnel would be deployed across communities to improve security. He noted that the guards would be recruited from among the people of the benefiting states.

Yilwatda also expressed optimism that the proposed state police legislation would soon be passed, explaining that it would enable communities to have police personnel drawn from their local areas, including Barkin Ladi, Bokkos and Kanke.

According to him, a community-based policing structure would strengthen local security and help identify, apprehend and prosecute criminals, rather than leaving communities vulnerable to attacks by outsiders.

On infrastructure, Yilwatda claimed that Plateau State had not witnessed the execution of any major project since 1971 until the current period, citing the ongoing dualisation of the Akwanga-Jos Road as evidence of a change in the situation.

He said billions of naira had been allocated to the road project, adding that the proposed Mararaba-Jerma-Shendam Road, passing through Pankshin, was also on the government’s agenda. He noted that the road projects were expected to incorporate streetlights, surveillance cameras and other modern facilities.

The APC chairman urged Plateau residents to support Tinubu and other APC candidates, stressing that his position as the party’s national chairman provided the state with an opportunity to benefit from greater political representation.

“Let me remind all of us that I, your son, am the National Chairman, and you know what that means,” he said.

Yilwatda also criticised former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar, claiming that his eight years in office as vice-president did not translate into significant infrastructure development for Plateau State. He alleged that the benefits delivered during that period were limited to a borehole and tricycles for residents.

He reiterated that the state had no reason to withhold its support from Tinubu and other APC candidates in the 2027 elections.

In his remarks, Governor Mutfwang commended Tompolo for providing leadership and mobilising support for Tinubu’s re-election through the PBAT Door-to-Door Movement.

The governor urged the movement to replicate its grassroots mobilisation strategy ahead of the 2027 election, recalling the door-to-door campaign approach adopted during the 2023 general election.

Mutfwang said he had resolved since June 2023 to support Tinubu, whom he described as a leader committed to moving Nigeria forward. He expressed confidence that those working against the country’s progress would not succeed, adding that the President remained committed to addressing security challenges across the country.

He also defended the administration’s economic policies, saying the reform programme was progressing in the right direction and would yield positive results if sustained.

“The project of improving the economy is on the right track. If we keep pursuing these policies, we will eat the good of the land. We will not change our driver now. The driver you know is better; let’s stick with him,” the governor said.

Mutfwang also opposed any attempt to alter the existing power-sharing arrangement between northern and southern Nigeria, urging political leaders to honour their commitments and maintain support for Tinubu.

He called on members of the PBAT Door-to-Door Movement to sustain their mobilisation efforts and demonstrate continued loyalty to the President, expressing optimism that Plateau would benefit from having an indigene, Yilwatda, as APC national chairman.

The governor predicted that Plateau State would deliver the highest number of votes for Tinubu in the region during the 2027 presidential election.

Earlier, the National Coordinator of the PBAT Door-to-Door Movement, Comrade Sunday Asuku, said the organisation’s visit to Plateau was part of its nationwide mobilisation campaign to reinforce support for Tinubu ahead of the 2027 general election.

Asuku maintained that the President remained the movement’s preferred choice, arguing that Nigeria was on the right path and should not abandon the ongoing reform process.

“We are here on the Plateau to say that there is only one choice, and that choice is President Tinubu. Nigeria is on the right track, and we cannot make the mistake of derailing,” he said.

He commended Governor Mutfwang and Yilwatda for supporting Tinubu’s leadership and expressed confidence that their cooperation would help advance the administration’s agenda.

Asuku also cautioned Plateau residents against being swayed by opposition parties, describing their campaign promises as empty and urging voters to prioritise continuity in government.

“When they come, tell them, ‘No vacancy at the Presidency and in the governorship.’ A vote for continuity is to do more in sustaining the reforms. Follow a reformer, follow a performer,” he said.

The event was attended by members of the National Assembly, the Speaker of the Plateau State House of Assembly, the state APC chairman, party elders, as well as representatives of women and youth groups.