From Femi Oyelola, Kaduna
The PBAT Door-to-Door Movement over the weekend strengthened northern political backing for President Bola Tinubu’s bid for a second term as prominent leaders, academics, youth groups, traditional rulers, and civil society stakeholders endorsed the continuation of his reforms ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The endorsement was made during a Northern Stakeholders Townhall held at Arewa House, Kaduna, where participants reviewed the Tinubu administration and agreed that reversing current economic and governance reforms would threaten Nigeria’s recovery and long-term stability.
Representing President Tinubu, Special Adviser on Media and Public Communication, Sunday Dare, stated that the administration had successfully transitioned Nigeria from reforms to recovery through bold and strategic decisions aimed at correcting long-standing structural issues.
He highlighted the removal of fuel subsidies, foreign exchange reforms, increased revenue generation, fiscal discipline, and renewed investor confidence as key measures already repositioning the country.
According to him, these difficult decisions were necessary to prevent a deeper economic decline and to return to sustainable growth.
Dare also mentioned that the federal government is offsetting hardships through social programs like the NELFUND student loan initiative, healthcare reforms, pension restructuring, salary adjustments, and youth empowerment initiatives.
He additionally pointed to major infrastructure projects—including the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway, Sokoto-Badagry Superhighway, Abuja-Kaduna-Kano Expressway, and rail upgrades—as evidence of a national development plan under Tinubu.
National Coordinator of the PBAT Door-to-Door Movement, Sunday Adekanbi, described the town hall as a strategic platform to evaluate governance outcomes and bolster northern support for continued leadership beyond 2027.
He warned that any disruption to current reforms could undo progress made in security, infrastructure, and economic management.
Delivering a keynote speech, Prof. Solomon T. Gushibet said Tinubu’s reforms, though painful, were essential measures to prevent fiscal collapse and rebuild confidence in governance institutions.
He identified local government autonomy, CreditCorp, CNG initiatives, agricultural reforms, technical education, and health sector development as major milestones of the administration.
Kaduna State Commissioner for Information, Ahmed Maiyaki, stated that increased federal allocations had allowed Governor Uba Sani’s administration to expand transportation, healthcare, education, and agricultural programs across the state.
He added that Kaduna has deployed over 100 CNG buses for free transit, rehabilitated health facilities, and repaired roads in all 23 local government areas.
