THE leader of the PBAT Door-to-Door Movement, Government Tompolo, has called on the people of Benue State to turn out en masse and vote for President Bola Tinubu in the 2027 election, citing what he described as the president’s concern for the lives and property of Nigerians, particularly through the establishment of the 5 Division of the Nigerian Army, with headquarters in Makurdi, the state capital.
News Point Nigeria reports that Tompolo described Tinubu as a leader who meant well for Nigeria and had demonstrated this through bold policies and reforms, including the State Police Bill, Local Government Autonomy Bill, Electricity Bill, removal of the petrol subsidy and the student loan programme, NELFUND, among others.
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Tompolo, whose full name is Government Ekpemupolo, made the remarks in Makurdi on Thursday during the inauguration of the movement’s Benue State chapter and the distribution of 25 campaign vehicles to state coordinators.
He was represented at the event by Kestin Pondi, Managing Director of Tantita Security Services Nigeria Limited.
According to Tompolo, only a leader who genuinely loved his people could introduce such policies within a short period.
“He is a president that wants Nigeria to be better than he met it. Tinubu is doing what no leader before him had the courage to do even though he knew it will turn the people against him.
“We like to compare Nigeria with Asian countries that are doing so well but one thing we forget to remember is that these countries reforms were done in more than eight years,” he said.
Continuing, Tompolo said: “They had bold leaders, they had courageous leaders who said we must reform and they stood by those reforms and today, they are the envy of the world. They are some of the most developed and civilised countries of the world.”
“Here in Nigeria, we have Tinubu, a man that is as courageous or even more courageous than those leaders. The man said we must reform and he has embarked on the reforms,” he added.
Governor Hyacinth Alia, in his remarks, said President Tinubu was behind the development in Benue State for which residents often commended his administration.
“Each time you thank me for working for Benue people, that is the man behind it,” he stated.
Alia praised Tinubu for creating an enabling environment for governors to work for their people, emphasising that Benue’s progress was possible because of the president’s support.
He urged residents to campaign assiduously and vote massively for Tinubu’s re-election to ensure the continuation of the policies and programmes of his administration.
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The governor also appreciated the president for prioritising Benue’s security, particularly through the establishment of the 5 Division of the Nigerian Army in Makurdi earlier in the year.
According to him, the development had led to the deployment of military personnel to crisis-prone areas and border communities, improving security and enabling some internally displaced persons to return home voluntarily and resume farming.
Alia said the development would help Benue maintain its position as the food basket of the nation.
He also listed factories established by the state government, a 670-kilometre road network, free basic education, rehabilitation initiatives, mechanised agriculture, and the upgrading and equipping of health centres and hospitals among the benefits he said the state was enjoying under the Tinubu administration.
The governor added that more development initiatives were in the pipeline if Tinubu secured re-election.
Earlier, the National Coordinator of the movement, Comrade Sunday Asuku, said Nigeria was on the right trajectory because, according to him, a competent leader was in charge.
Asuku said security in Benue, which had experienced years of insecurity, was a priority for the Tinubu administration, pointing to the establishment of an army division in the state and other measures that he said had improved security.
He maintained that voting for Tinubu would ensure the full implementation of initiatives intended to benefit the state.
The national coordinator also advised voters to reject leaders who had previously pledged to remove the petrol subsidy but later changed their position after realising the difficulty of the decision. He urged them instead to support Tinubu, whom he credited with introducing bold reforms and laying the foundation for a better Nigeria.
“Say no to cowardice, no to those only interested in selling Nigeria’s assets. Ask them what they did when they were in office. A vote for Tinubu is a vote for NELFUND, improved security and better infrastructure,” he added.
Also speaking, former Benue State Governor and Senator Gabriel Suswam called on residents to vote for Tinubu, arguing that his policies were laying the foundation for the future of young Nigerians.
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“Yes, there’s suffering now but there’s no way you can build a future without experiencing some pains. You’re experiencing some hardship but tomorrow will be better.
“We are suffering today because those steps were not taken by previous administrations. So if you have a leader that is taking steps towards building a nigeria for the future he deserves support,” he stated.
