Support groups backing President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on Friday staged a solidarity road march in Kaduna, pledging to mobilise grassroots support for his re-election in 2027 ahead of the All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential campaign flag-off scheduled for Saturday.
The march brought together members of support groups under the Presidential Campaign Council’s Support Groups Mobilisation Directorate, who said the exercise was aimed at demonstrating their preparedness for the campaign and rallying support for the president.
Speaking during the exercise, Director of the Support Groups Mobilisation Directorate, Silas Ali Agara, said the groups had mobilised across Kaduna State to welcome Tinubu and demonstrate their commitment to his re-election bid.
“We want to show Mr President that Nigerians love him, the people of Kaduna State love him, and the youth of this country love him,” Agara said.
He claimed that the directorate had about 10,000 support groups nationwide, adding that efforts were underway to coordinate their activities and strengthen mobilisation ahead of the 2027 general election.
According to him, Friday’s march was the beginning of a broader strategy to sustain the presence of support groups in states the president visits during the campaign.
Agara said the groups would work with state and zonal coordinators to ensure greater participation in campaign activities and extend mobilisation efforts to communities across the country.
He commended members for responding to the call, particularly the Northwest zonal coordinators, whom he credited with helping to organise participants from across the region.
He also acknowledged the support of the Minister of State for Works and other campaign stakeholders in coordinating the exercise.
The minister, Barrister Bello Muhammad Goronyo, who also serves as secretary of the Northwest support group structure, thanked the organisers and participants, describing the march as an early demonstration of the groups’ readiness for the campaign.
Goronyo expressed confidence that the support groups would sustain their mobilisation activities, citing what he described as the Tinubu administration’s interventions in infrastructure, water supply, education and healthcare.
“We thank Mr President for his unwavering commitment to the welfare and well-being of Nigerians,” he said.
He urged residents to continue supporting Kaduna State Governor Uba Sani, APC governors and other party candidates, including senators, members of the House of Representatives and state lawmakers.
The minister said effective coordination between political leaders, support groups and grassroots structures would be crucial to the party’s mobilisation efforts ahead of the election.
Also speaking, Director-General of the National Productivity Centre and Northwest coordinator of the Tinubu Support Group under the Presidential Campaign Council, Dr Baffa Babba Dan’Agundi, described the road march as part of efforts to demonstrate the preparedness of support groups ahead of campaign activities across the country.
Dan’Agundi said the organisers intended to strengthen coordination among groups in states scheduled to host the president, ensuring that local structures were actively involved in the mobilisation process.
He acknowledged the role of James Abiodun Faleke in coordinating and supporting the programme, while appreciating other stakeholders who contributed to the exercise.
He added that the groups would continue to work together as the campaign progresses, with a focus on strengthening grassroots participation and supporting Tinubu’s re-election bid.
Another speaker at the event, whose name could not be established, commended participants for turning out at short notice and described the march as an opportunity to unite supporters ahead of the campaign flag-off.
The APC has scheduled the flag-off of Tinubu’s 2027 presidential campaign for Saturday, October 24, at the Kaduna Township Stadium. The event is expected to attract party leaders, governors, campaign officials, support groups and other stakeholders.
Friday’s march served as a show of organisational readiness by the support groups ahead of the campaign’s formal commencement.
However, the organisers’ claim that the directorate has about 10,000 support groups nationwide was not independently verified.
The effectiveness of the mobilisation effort will ultimately depend on the groups’ ability to sustain grassroots engagement and translate their campaign activities into electoral support in 2027.
