By Lizzy Chirkpi
The Minister of State for Defence, Dr. Bello Matawalle, has disclosed plans by a grassroots political movement to mobilise more than 20 million Nigerians in support of President Bola Tinubu and other All Progressives Congress (APC) candidates in the 2027 general elections.
Matawalle disclosed this while speaking to journalists after returning to Abuja on Tuesday, from a two-day official visit to Egypt, where he led a Nigerian delegation to inspect key defence and military manufacturing facilities.
He said the proposed “Tinubu Again” movement as a grassroots mobilisation platform to take the message, policies and programmes of the Tinubu administration directly to Nigerians ahead of the elections.
According to the minister, the movement would deploy door-to-door campaigns and other grassroots engagement strategies to mobilise support for President Tinubu, Vice President Kashim Shettima and APC candidates contesting governorship, senatorial, House of Representatives and State House of Assembly seats.
“What that group means is, it’s a movement of a political party called APC. The leadership of that political party is the President of Nigeria, Bola Ahmed Tinubu. We are taking this movement to the grassroots,” Matawalle said.
He said the movement was targeting more than 20 million supporters nationwide, adding that its objective was to ensure victory for APC candidates at both the national and state levels.
“This movement is ready to mobilise more than 20 million votes to ensure success of all APC candidates, both national and state,” he said.
Matawalle said the movement would be formally launched soon and subsequently taken to communities across the country to explain the policies and programmes of the Tinubu administration.
“We have to go down to the people to inform them, to give awareness to people [about] what this present administration is doing, what Bola Ahmed Tinubu is doing for the people: his programmes, his visions, missions and his intention to Nigerians,” he said.
The minister described President Tinubu as a leader with good intentions for the country but acknowledged that the administration’s policies and programmes needed to be communicated more effectively to citizens at the grassroots.
“He has a good intention, but the messengers have to go down to the grassroots to inform the people,” Matawalle said.
The disclosure comes amid growing political activities, alignments and mobilisation ahead of the 2027 general elections, as political parties, aspirants and influential political actors intensify efforts to consolidate support for their preferred candidates.
Matawalle also expressed confidence that President Tinubu and other APC candidates would emerge victorious in the 2027 elections, including governorship and State House of Assembly contests.
“I assure you, both the President and others will win the 2027 election by the mightiness of Allah. Therefore, we’ll work day and night to ensure their success,” he said.
The minister appealed to Nigerians to remain patient with the administration and support President Tinubu for another term.
“My message to Nigerians is to be patient and to vote Bola Ahmed Tinubu because he means very well for Nigerians,” Matawalle added.