The PBAT Door-to-Door Movement, a grassroots political organisation mobilising support for President Bola Tinubu’s second-term bid in the 2027 general elections, on Tuesday inaugurated its Gombe State chapter and presented vehicles to support its campaign activities.
The founder of the movement, Government Oweizide-Ekpemupolo, popularly known as Tompolo, was represented at the inauguration by the Managing Director of Tantita Security Services Nigeria Limited, Kestin Pondi.
Pondi commended Gombe State Governor, Muhammadu Yahaya, for his administration’s infrastructure projects, saying the governor’s performance could strengthen public support for the All Progressives Congress (APC) ahead of the 2027 elections.
He attributed the resources available to state governments for development to President Tinubu’s decision to remove the petrol subsidy on May 29, 2023, arguing that the policy had enabled the redistribution of funds to the states.
“These things will not happen if you, as the governor and chief steward of Gombe State, do not decide to put those monies to good use,” Pondi said.
He praised the state government’s road construction projects, particularly efforts to connect communities across Gombe, describing them as examples of governance that could promote the President’s development agenda.
“Your Excellency, sir, if every governor is doing what you are doing in Gombe State today, we will not be working so hard to campaign because you are the campaign that the people need,” he said.
Pondi explained that the vehicles presented by the movement would support its grassroots mobilisation efforts and help communicate Tinubu’s message, particularly to young people.
He urged the governor to provide the movement with guidance and an enabling environment to carry out its activities across the state.
“We will hand over the vehicles to you so that you can work with the PBAT Door-to-Door Movement. Grant them the enabling environment, guide them and tell them who to meet. Use them as your team,” he said.
Pondi called on Nigerians to support Tinubu’s re-election, expressing confidence that the movement would help mobilise voters ahead of the 2027 presidential election.
In his remarks, the National Coordinator of the PBAT Door-to-Door Movement, Comrade Sunday Asuku, said the organisation was committed to mobilising support for its political cause through direct engagement with voters.
Asuku’s remarks, however, contained references to former President Goodluck Jonathan rather than Tinubu, including appeals for another four-year term and calls for voters to support Jonathan in 2027. The statements appeared inconsistent with the stated objective of the PBAT Door-to-Door Movement and could not be reconciled from the available transcript.
Meanwhile, Governor Yahaya welcomed the inauguration and expressed support for the movement’s mobilisation efforts, linking the state’s development priorities to the Federal Government’s policies.
The governor highlighted Gombe’s agricultural potential, describing the state as an important contributor to Nigeria’s agricultural economy and pointing to the activities of farmers, livestock producers, processors and young people engaged in agriculture.
“Gombe is a gem in Nigeria, an agricultural and agrarian state. All these people that you see are very happy to key into the agenda of the President,” Yahaya said.
He also referred to ongoing and proposed road projects intended to improve connectivity between Gombe and neighbouring states, saying the state government had been working to secure federal support for infrastructure development.
Yahaya further mentioned the state’s interest in projects including the proposed federal cargo airport, describing improved infrastructure as important to the development of agriculture and other economic activities.