…Promises two-million-man march, 10 luxury buses

In a development highlighting the increasingly complex political alignments ahead of the 2027 presidential election, Abba Atiku Abubakar, son of former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar, has thrown his weight behind President Bola Tinubu’s re-election, pitching his political mobilisation machinery against the presidential ambition of his father, the African Democratic Congress (ADC) presidential candidate.

Abba, who had defected to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), made his position known on Friday when he visited the party’s national secretariat in Abuja to present his Haske Bola Tinubu Organisation (HBTO), a platform established to mobilise support for Tinubu.

The organisation unveiled an ambitious plan to organise a two-million-man mobilisation march across the six geopolitical zones and establish grassroots structures for Tinubu ahead of the 2027 general election.

The move places Atiku’s son on the opposite side of the political divide from his father, who is seeking to return to the presidency by defeating Tinubu in the January 16, 2027 election.

But Abba dismissed any suggestion that his political decision should be determined by his family ties, saying individuals must be allowed to pursue their convictions independently.

“Political conviction is a matter of personal judgement, conscience and the freedom of every individual to make independent choices,” he said.

He said his support for Tinubu was informed by what he described as the administration’s efforts to address longstanding economic and structural challenges.

Among the policies he highlighted were the Nigerian Education Loan Fund, investments in road infrastructure, increased allocations to state governments through the Federation Account Allocation Committee and transportation support interventions.

Beyond political mobilisation, Abba announced that HBTO would introduce 10 luxury buses to ease transportation difficulties, beginning with Abuja before expanding to other parts of the country.

He also disclosed plans to mobilise support for Tinubu in the FCT and Rivers State, saying the organisation was preparing for a major political exercise in Rivers the following week.

He said HBTO would build structures across the country and work with other political groups to secure Tinubu’s re-election.

“Our objective is to build a structured, inclusive and nationally coordinated movement capable of mobilising support, engaging communities and communicating government policies,” he said.