By Shina Abubakar, Osogbo
Leaders of the President Bola Tinubu Door-to-Door Movement, including former Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Gboyega Oyetola, and National Secretary of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Dr Ajibola Basiru, on Saturday stormed Osogbo, Osun State, for the inauguration of 10,000 grassroots canvassers to mobilise support for the President’s re-election in 2027.
The movement, which has High Chief Government Ekpemupolo, popularly known as Tompolo, as its Grand Patron, also unveiled 30 campaign vehicles as part of efforts to intensify grassroots mobilisation across the state.
At the inauguration ceremony, Tompolo, represented by the Managing Director of Tantita Security Services Nigeria Limited, Dr Kestin Pondi, said the movement was determined to ensure that Tinubu secured a landslide victory in Osun State.
He said the group was targeting at least 90 per cent of the votes in the state, urging residents to demonstrate overwhelming support for the President at the polls.
“We know that you are already going to vote for your brother. We know that you are already going to vote for your son. We know that you are already going to vote for the man who is moving Nigeria forward. But what we are going to tell you is that we don’t want your vote to be less than 90%,” he said.
Pondi commended Governor Ademola Adeleke for supporting Tinubu’s re-election despite belonging to the Accord Party, describing his position as evidence of confidence in the President’s reform agenda.
“Your Excellency, sir. I know that you are of Accord party. But then, our amiable governor, has stick out his neck, he is standing with the APC on this, he is the coordinator of the President’s campaign in Osun state. He believes in the reformation agenda of President Bola Tinubu,” he said.
Meanwhile, Oyetola, who was represented by the APC governorship candidate in the last election, Mr Bola Oyebamiji, charged the 10,000 canvassers to approach the assignment with sincerity, discipline and unwavering commitment.
He urged them to shun hypocrisy, political pretence and complacency, insisting that effective grassroots mobilisation would be critical to securing victory for Tinubu and other APC candidates.
Oyetola also said the political coalition involving Adeleke’s Accord Party and the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, would strengthen the President’s re-election prospects in the state.
He appealed to political leaders, interest groups and other stakeholders to put aside personal interests and differences in pursuit of a common national objective.
“I appeal to all political leaders, interest groups, individuals and stakeholders to rise above selfish interests, personal ego and political differences.
“Let us demonstrate that political differences need not prevent us from pursuing a shared national objective. With unity of purpose, effective grassroots mobilisation and unwavering commitment, we can deliver the 1.5 million votes targeted for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in Osun State and secure victory for our party’s candidates at all levels,” he said.
In his remarks, Governor Adeleke, who is the Coordinator of the Presidential Campaign Council in Osun State and was represented by his deputy, Kola Adewusi, described the inauguration of the canvassers and donation of 30 campaign vehicles as timely interventions to kick-start the President’s re-election campaign in the state.
Adewusi commended Tompolo for the initiative, describing him as a friend of the Yoruba people whose intervention had strengthened the President’s re-election efforts.
“I commend the convener of this initiative, a true friend of Yoruba people, High Chief Oweizide Government Ekpemupolo. Your intervention is timely and in tandem with the needs of the presidential campaign council. We appreciate you and your team for this nationwide advocacy which has strengthened the re-election bid of Mr President,” he said.
He urged political stakeholders to put past disagreements behind them and work together to deliver between 1.5 million and two million votes for Tinubu.
“Our gathering is therefore a timely push to gain further momentum in the campaign process. We must therefore forget past disagreements and unite to deliver for the President. All coalition partners have a duty to overlook all previous relationship antagonism and join hands to deliver between 1.5 to 2 million votes for Mr President.
“As we move out to the corners and grassroots of Osun society, I must repeat that our partnership and coalition unity is mainly based on the presidential election,” Adewusi said.
Earlier, APC National Secretary, Dr Ajibola Basiru, said the canvassers would penetrate communities across the state to educate residents on the policies and programmes of the Tinubu administration since assuming office.
He listed the Nigerian Education Loan Fund, NELFUND, and ongoing federal road projects in Osun as some of the initiatives the movement would highlight during its mobilisation campaign.
“It is important for every stakeholder in Osun to know of the development the President policy has brought to the country. For our students, NELFUND has made payment of school fees easy and no students can drop out of schools anymore. In Osun major road infrastructure are ongoing, including Ilesa-Ife-Ibadan express road, Osogbo-Gbongan express road, Osogbo-Iwo-Ibadan roads.
“Also, increased in federal allocation to states making it easy to pay workers and pensioners salary, hence the reason why we must march en masse to vote President Tinubu for second term in office,” he said.
Basiru urged residents to support Tinubu for a second term, arguing that the administration’s policies and increased federal allocations to states had strengthened the capacity of state governments to meet their financial obligations.
Also speaking, Osun State Coordinator of the PBAT Door-to-Door Movement, Mr Adeolu Timothy, assured the national leadership that the canvassers would deliver on their mandate through sustained grassroots engagement and effective monitoring.
He said the movement would reach households and engage community stakeholders to build support for the President ahead of the 2027 elections.
“We are assuring our National leaders that in Osun State, we will not disappoint the movement, apart from the fact that President Tinubu is a son of the soil, we are assuring you that every door will be touched, every stakeholder will be enlightened to convince them, not just to vote for Tinubu, but to become one of our disciples,” he said.
