As political activity builds ahead of Nigeria’s 2027 presidential election, the PBAT Door-to-Door Movement has launched its grassroots mobilisation campaign in Taraba State, urging residents to support President Bola Tinubu’s re-election bid.
The movement inaugurated its Taraba structure in Jalingo, bringing together its leaders, members of the All Progressives Congress and Governor Agbu Kefas as supporters began plans to take the campaign directly to communities across the state.
The campaign, led nationally by High Chief Government Ekpemupolo, popularly known as Tompolo, focuses on taking the movement’s message beyond political gatherings and into homes, religious centres, wards, local government areas and polling units.
Tompolo Calls for Continuity
Representing Tompolo at the Jalingo launch, High Chief Kestin Pondi argued that the Tinubu administration needs additional time to consolidate its economic reforms and deliver what supporters describe as their expected benefits.
Pondi said Taraba had benefited from federal government policies and maintained that continuity would help preserve the progress supporters associate with the administration.
According to the movement, the reforms have produced difficult adjustments but require time before Nigerians can fully assess their longer-term effects.
That argument formed a central part of the mobilisation campaign as the movement encouraged residents to remain engaged with the administration’s policies rather than abandon them midway.
Tompolo also pointed to the reduction in fuel queues and disruptions in university education as examples of challenges he said had reduced under the current administration.
Door-to-Door Campaign Takes Shape
Rather than relying solely on large political rallies, the PBAT movement plans to build its campaign through direct grassroots engagement.
Consequently, organisers have instructed supporters to take the message into communities and speak with residents at the household level.
The movement says its mobilisation will extend to churches, mosques, wards, local government areas and polling units.
This approach places local political engagement at the centre of the campaign as organisers attempt to build support ahead of the 2027 vote.
Moreover, the strategy gives campaigners an opportunity to discuss government policies directly with residents and respond to questions about how those policies affect communities.
Kefas Backs Tinubu’s Bid
Governor Agbu Kefas also expressed support for Tinubu during the launch.
The governor said residents of Taraba were already seeing the effects of federal government projects being implemented in the state.
Kefas maintained that his administration remained committed to the Renewed Hope Agenda and would continue working with the Federal Government on development projects.
“We are moving forward with the mandate of the Renewed Hope Agenda of Mr. President,” he said, while promising that the state would continue to flag off and commission development projects across its communities.
Furthermore, Kefas pledged support for Tinubu in the 2027 presidential election, saying the state would mobilise behind the President.
His position adds the backing of the state government to the grassroots campaign being organised by the PBAT movement.
APC Structure Joins Mobilisation
The campaign also comes as the APC in Taraba strengthens its preparations for the 2027 elections.
The state party chairman, Abubakar Bawa, pledged that the APC structure would mobilise voters for Tinubu and other party candidates.
Similarly, the Director-General of the Tinubu-Shettima campaign organisation in Taraba, Danladi Baido, said the campaign team would build on the party’s previous performance in the state and work toward mobilising support across the state.
The involvement of the party structure alongside the PBAT movement means the mobilisation effort now has both a dedicated support group and the established political machinery of the APC working in the same electoral environment.
Asuku Calls for Sustained Support
National Coordinator of the PBAT Door-to-Door Movement, Sunday Asuku, said the organisation came to Taraba to strengthen support for both Tinubu and Kefas.
Asuku argued that abandoning the Tinubu administration’s reforms before they fully mature would be counterproductive.
He also praised the Kefas administration for what he described as achievements recorded in Taraba during the past three years.
Additionally, Asuku urged supporters to intensify their grassroots activities as the country moves closer to the election.
The movement has consequently positioned community-level engagement as a major component of its strategy.
25 Campaign Vehicles Donated
The launch also featured the donation of 25 campaign vehicles to support the movement’s mobilisation activities.
Organisers said the vehicles would strengthen the group’s ability to reach communities across Taraba.
In addition to the vehicles, generators and electronic speakers were donated to support campaign activities.
The equipment is expected to help the movement coordinate its outreach programme as it expands its presence across wards and local government areas.
Economic Reforms Drive Campaign Message
The movement’s campaign message centres heavily on continuity.
Its leaders argue that economic reforms require time to consolidate and that maintaining the current policy direction would allow the government to continue implementing its programmes.
However, the reforms have also generated debate across Nigeria because they have affected fuel prices, foreign exchange conditions and the broader cost of living.
Therefore, the campaign will take place against a backdrop in which voters will consider both the government’s stated achievements and the economic pressures they experience in their daily lives.
The PBAT movement, for its part, is asking residents to assess the administration’s policies within a longer-term framework.
Grassroots Politics Enters a New Phase
The Taraba launch signals a wider expansion of grassroots political activity as parties and support groups prepare for the 2027 elections.
By taking its campaign directly to homes, religious institutions and communities, the PBAT movement is attempting to build a network that operates beyond traditional political rallies.
At the same time, the involvement of Governor Kefas and APC leaders gives the campaign a stronger connection to the state’s existing political structure.
As a result, the coming months are likely to bring more community engagements, political meetings and mobilisation activities across Taraba.
The Road to 2027
For the PBAT Door-to-Door Movement, the immediate objective is clear: build grassroots support for Tinubu and take its message to as many communities as possible.
Tompolo’s group believes continuity will allow the Federal Government to consolidate its reforms, while Kefas has linked the state’s development plans to continued cooperation with the Tinubu administration.
Meanwhile, the APC structure has pledged to mobilise support for its candidates across the state.
Ultimately, the Taraba campaign marks another step in the growing political activity ahead of the 2027 presidential election. With 25 campaign vehicles already deployed and organisers preparing for door-to-door engagement, the movement has begun laying the groundwork for a sustained grassroots campaign.
The effectiveness of that mobilisation, however, will ultimately depend on how residents respond to the competing political messages, policies and promises that will shape the 2027 electoral contest.
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