The Deputy Speaker and the ex-militant leader discuss ward-level campaign structures, voter sensitisation and youth engagement across the South-South and South-East as the APC prepares for the 2027 presidential election.

The Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Benjamin Kalu, has met with former militant leader Government Ekpemupolo, popularly known as Tompolo, to discuss strategies for mobilising support for President Bola Tinubu ahead of the 2027 general elections.

The meeting focused on strengthening grassroots political structures, sensitising voters and engaging young people, with particular attention to the South-South and South-East geopolitical zones.

Kalu, who serves as Deputy Director-General for South II of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Presidential Campaign Council, met with Tompolo following the commissioning of the national secretariat of the PBAT Door-to-Door Movement in Abuja on Friday.

Tompolo is the convener of the pro-Tinubu movement, which is seeking to expand support for the president through community-based campaign activities.

According to a statement issued in Abuja on Sunday, the discussions also examined a joint framework for coordinating campaign operations at the ward level across states under Kalu’s South II Directorate.

The engagement forms part of efforts by Tinubu’s supporters to organise their political outreach ahead of the 2027 presidential election, with an emphasis on taking campaign messages directly to voters in their communities.

Kalu Says Grassroots Outreach Will Be Key

Speaking about the initiative, Kalu described the PBAT Door-to-Door Movement as an important platform for advancing Tinubu’s re-election campaign.

He said sustained engagement with citizens at the grassroots would be central to the campaign’s efforts, adding that the movement was expected to communicate the administration’s policies and programmes directly to Nigerians in their homes and communities.

Kalu also defended the president’s reform agenda, maintaining that the administration’s decisions were helping to stabilise the economy and improve national security.

He said the campaign intended to take the administration’s Renewed Hope Agenda to communities across the country, describing the partnership with Tompolo as part of that mobilisation strategy.

The claims about the administration’s economic and security performance were presented as Kalu’s assessment of the government’s record.

Kalu Highlights Education Loan Scheme, Development Commissions

At the commissioning of the movement’s national secretariat, the Deputy Speaker highlighted several initiatives introduced under Tinubu’s administration, including the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND), which provides eligible students with financial support for higher education.

He also pointed to the establishment of regional development commissions, which are intended to coordinate development interventions and address infrastructure and other regional challenges.

Kalu particularly welcomed Tinubu’s assent to the South-East Development Commission Act, describing it as an important step towards addressing reconstruction, infrastructure and development needs in the region.

“As a representative of Bende Federal Constituency, I particularly appreciate President Tinubu’s assent to the South-East Development Commission Act, an important step towards addressing reconstruction, infrastructure and development priorities in our region,” Kalu said.

The commission is intended to provide an institutional framework for coordinating development projects and interventions across the South-East, a region that has continued to seek attention to infrastructure gaps and reconstruction priorities.

Tompolo’s Movement Targets 774 Local Government Areas

Kalu commended Tompolo for providing the initiative, commitment and resources required to establish the movement’s national secretariat.

He urged members of the organisation to expand their grassroots structures and mobilise support across Nigeria’s 774 local government areas and 8,809 wards ahead of the 2027 elections.

The Deputy Speaker also called on the group to extend its activities to communities nationwide, stressing that political mobilisation should be accompanied by democratic participation and responsiveness to citizens’ concerns.

“Nigeria benefits when citizens can exchange ideas peacefully and participate in public life with confidence and dignity,” Kalu said.

The movement’s door-to-door approach is designed to take political messaging beyond national and state-level campaigns to households, wards and polling-unit communities.

South-South and South-East in Focus

The meeting brings together two figures associated with different regional constituencies in support of Tinubu’s re-election bid.

For the APC, the South-South and South-East are important areas for its campaign outreach as preparations for the 2027 elections continue.

The discussions between Kalu and Tompolo signal an effort to coordinate campaign activities and strengthen local mobilisation networks ahead of the polls.

However, the extent to which the initiative will translate into broader voter support remains to be seen as the political parties and their supporters intensify preparations for the next general elections.