A political support group, Bichi’s Ward Wide Ambassadors for Tinubu 2027, has vowed to mobilise 10 million votes for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s re-election in the 2027 presidential election, citing the administration’s economic reforms, infrastructure projects and social intervention programmes.
The group, convened by Edward Abakpa, made the commitment on Sunday in Abuja during its official launch at Ibeto Hotel, where it also named Kano State lawmaker, Hon. Abubakar Kabir Bichi, Chairman of the House Committee on Appropriations as its Grand Patron.
Bichi, who represents Bichi Federal Constituency of Kano State in the House of Representatives is a staunch supporter of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration.
Abakpa said Bichi’s experience in the National Assembly and his grassroots presence informed the decision to confer the position on him.
Speaking at the event, Abakpa said the group decided to support Tinubu because, in its assessment, the administration had undertaken major reforms aimed at restructuring the economy and addressing some of the country’s longstanding challenges.
He said the group believed the reforms needed continuity so that their intended benefits could be fully realised, rather than being disrupted before they mature.
“Our target is to mobilise 10 million votes for President Tinubu in 2027 because we believe the reforms he has started must be consolidated,” Abakpa said.
According to him, the group’s support is also based on what it described as the administration’s investments in roads, rail, power, education, agriculture, healthcare and other sectors.
He said the removal of the petrol subsidy and the foreign exchange reforms, although difficult and accompanied by economic pressures, were necessary steps that had begun to reposition the economy.
Abakpa said the group was particularly encouraged by what it described as efforts to expand access to higher education through the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND).
The Presidency said NELFUND had disbursed more than N282 billion to over 1.5 million beneficiaries as of May 2026.
He said the student loan programme, if sustained and expanded, could reduce the financial barriers faced by young Nigerians seeking tertiary education.
The convener also cited infrastructure as another reason for the group’s support for the President.
He said the ongoing construction and rehabilitation of major roads, rail projects and other infrastructure would improve connectivity, facilitate movement of goods and services and stimulate economic activities across the country.
The administration said in May that more than 2,700 kilometres of highways and major roads were under construction, reconstruction or rehabilitation, including the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway, Sokoto-Badagry Super Highway and Abuja-Kaduna-Zaria-Kano Road.
Abakpa said the group would also highlight the administration’s interventions in the power sector, including efforts to close the electricity metering gap and reform the sector.
According to the Presidency, 2.5 million meters had been supplied through the Presidential Metering Initiative during the administration’s first three years.
He said improved electricity supply remained important to businesses, manufacturers, students and households, adding that reforms in the sector should be given sufficient time to produce sustainable results.
Abakpa said the group’s support was not based solely on the economic reforms but also on the administration’s investments in social programmes, agriculture, housing and human capital development.
He said the Renewed Hope Housing Programme and other interventions could contribute to addressing the country’s housing deficit, while agricultural initiatives could strengthen food production and create employment opportunities.
The convener said the group would take its mobilisation campaign to the grassroots, using its ward-based structure to engage voters and explain what it described as the achievements of the administration.
“We are not limiting this mobilisation to Abuja or the major cities. We want to take the message to the wards, communities and polling units and engage Nigerians directly,” he said.
Abakpa said the group would also use the period before the election to listen to the concerns of Nigerians and communicate them to relevant authorities.
He said the group would therefore campaign for the continuation of policies it believes could strengthen economic growth, improve infrastructure, expand opportunities for young people and attract investment.
He added that the group would work with other support organisations and stakeholders ahead of the 2027 election.
He urged members of the organisation to conduct their mobilisation peacefully and within the law, saying the group’s activities would focus on issues, policies and the record of the administration.
“We want to mobilise Nigerians through facts, engagement and grassroots interaction. Our responsibility is to explain what the government has done, what remains to be done and why we believe continuity is important,” he said.
He said the group would subsequently unveil its ward-level structures and programmes as it intensifies mobilisation ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Never miss a moment! Get the stories shaping Nigeria, delivered straight to your phone. Follow Peoplesdaily Newspaper on WhatsApp for breaking news, exclusive reports, and the headlines everyone will be talking about, before anyone else.
