Alhaji Abba Abubakar, son of former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar, has unveiled plans to mobilise support for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu ahead of the 2027 presidential election, announcing a nationwide campaign involving a proposed two-million-man march across the six geopolitical zones.
Abba, who leads the Haske Bola Tinubu Organisation (HBTO), disclosed the plan on Friday at the national secretariat of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Abuja, where he presented his organisation’s political mobilisation strategy to the party.
The announcement further shows the political differences between Abba and his father, Atiku, who remains a prominent opposition politician and is seeking to challenge Tinubu’s re-election bid.
Abba had earlier left the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for the APC, declaring his intention to support Tinubu’s second-term ambition.
He has since established a political platform dedicated to promoting the president’s policies and building support for his administration ahead of the next general election.
Speaking during the presentation, the HBTO chairman said the organisation was preparing to commence a large-scale mobilisation exercise, which would begin in Abuja before extending to other parts of the country.
“Looking ahead, HBTO is preparing for an ambitious nationwide political mobilisation programme.
“As part of this strategy, we intend to commence a two-million-man mobilisation march across Nigeria’s six geopolitical zones, beginning from Abuja.
“Our immediate mobilisation efforts will focus on supporting the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister, whom we recognise as a key political leader in our mobilisation structure in the collective effort to secure Tinubu’s victory in the FCT in 2027.
“We are also working in alignment with the FCT minister’s political objective of delivering both the FCT and Rivers for President Tinubu in the forthcoming election,” Abubakar said.
He further disclosed that the organisation was preparing for a major political mobilisation in Rivers State during the first week of November.
Abba also announced that HBTO would introduce a transportation support programme as part of its efforts to demonstrate support for Tinubu’s administration beyond political campaigns.
Under the initiative, the organisation plans to provide an initial fleet of 10 luxury buses to ease transportation difficulties faced by Nigerians.
The programme will begin in the FCT before being extended to other parts of the country.
He said the initiative was part of the organisation’s commitment to complement the Federal Government’s Renewed Hope Agenda through practical interventions that would benefit ordinary citizens.
“We intend to commence this programme in the FCT before progressively expanding the initiative to other parts of the federation.
“For us, supporting the president’s Renewed Hope Agenda must translate into meaningful actions that positively affect the everyday lives of Nigerians,” he said.
The HBTO chairman explained that the organisation was already activating its political structures across different locations, adding that members and supporters were preparing to participate in the mobilisation exercise.
He maintained that the proposed two-million-man march was not simply intended to attract public attention but to establish a strong grassroots network that could translate political support into votes during the election.
“This is not simply about numbers or political appearances, it is about building a disciplined, coordinated and effective grassroots mobilisation network capable of translating political support into electoral results.
He added that the organisation would establish structures across the six geopolitical zones, strengthen its state and zonal chapters, engage community leaders and work with other political groups supporting the president.
According to him, the organisation intends to take its campaign beyond political gatherings by reaching communities and explaining the policies and programmes of the Tinubu administration to Nigerians.
Abba also addressed the attention surrounding his decision to support Tinubu, particularly because of his relationship with his father, who is seeking to return to the presidency in 2027.
The former vice-president’s son said his political position was based on his personal assessment and should not be interpreted as an attempt to deny other people the freedom to support candidates of their choice.
He insisted that his decision to establish HBTO was deliberate and reflected his belief in the direction of the current administration.
“I hold no reservations about the right of others to their differing political opinions, just as I expect my own convictions to be respected.
“Our democracy is strengthened when individuals are free to make independent political choices, engage in constructive dialogue and support the leadership and political platforms they believe best represent their aspirations.
“It is within this spirit that HBTO was established,” the former vice-president’s son said.
He explained that the organisation was created to unite Nigerians who believe in Tinubu’s leadership and support the policies of the APC-led Federal Government.
He said its activities would include political mobilisation, community engagement, public enlightenment and the promotion of government programmes.
Abba also defended the administration’s economic policies, acknowledging that some of the decisions taken since Tinubu assumed office had placed considerable pressure on Nigerians.
However, he maintained that the reforms were necessary to address longstanding problems in the country’s economic structure and create opportunities for future growth.
“Our political direction is informed by our assessment of the reforms and policy interventions undertaken by President Tinubu since assuming office. We acknowledge that the reforms have come with difficult adjustments for Nigerians.
“However, we believe it is equally important to recognise the progress, opportunities and long-term benefits that several of these initiatives are designed to deliver,” he said.
He further pointed to interventions across different sectors, arguing that the administration had introduced measures aimed at addressing structural challenges and improving the country’s economic outlook.
Atiku Abubakar is the presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), which is preparing to challenge the APC in the forthcoming election.
The former vice-president contested against Tinubu in the 2023 presidential election under the PDP before moving to the ADC ahead of the next electoral contest.
In a related development, the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, has also intensified efforts to mobilise political support for Tinubu in the FCT and Rivers State.
Wike had earlier declared that he would coordinate the president’s re-election campaign in both locations, insisting that his political structure was prepared to work towards securing victory for Tinubu.
On October 12, the minister reiterated his position during a stakeholders’ meeting of the Rainbow Coalition in Abuja.
The meeting brought together political figures from the APC and PDP, with participants pledging to work towards Tinubu’s re-election.
Politics Nigeria reported that Wike also described himself as the field commander of the president’s campaign in the FCT and pledged to coordinate the mobilisation exercise in Rivers State.
