From Cyril Mbah, Abuja.
Hon. Abba Atiku Abubakar, son of former Vice President, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, has formally unveiled the Haske Bola Tinubu Organisation, (HBTO), a political mobilisation platform to support the administration and re-election bid of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, in what was seen by political observers as a deadly slap on the face of the opposition arrowhead.
Speaking at a press conference in Abuja pn Friday, Abba said the organisation was established to bring together Nigerians who share a common conviction in the leadership and reform agenda of President Tinubu and the All Progressives Congress, (APC).
He acknowledged that his political decision may attract public attention given his family background, but stressed that political conviction is a matter of personal judgement, conscience and freedom of every individual to make independent choices.
“My decision to establish and lead the Haske Bola Tinubu Organisation is a deliberate political choice, one I have made in my personal capacity and with a firm belief in the direction we have chosen to pursue,” he said, adding that democracy is strengthened when individuals are free to make independent political choices.
Abba explained that HBTO is a structured, inclusive and nationally coordinated movement capable of mobilising support, engaging communities, communicating government policies and contributing meaningfully to the political process beyond political gatherings.
He said the group’s support for President Tinubu is informed by its assessment of the reforms undertaken since assuming office, noting that while the reforms have come with difficult adjustments, they also hold long-term benefits.
He cited initiatives such as the Nigerian Education Loan Fund, NELFUND, which he said has opened new opportunities for students to access interest-free loans and support for graduates with start-up financing to encourage entrepreneurship.
The HBTO chairman also pointed to ongoing investments in road infrastructure and critical transportation networks, increased revenue allocations to states through FAAC, and interventions for public sector workers, including the N70,000 transportation support, as evidence of progress.
As part of its commitment to complement the President’s Renewed Hope Agenda with practical interventions, Abba announced a transportation support initiative through the provision of 10 luxury buses to ease commuting challenges in the Federal Capital Territory while six buses will be provided to each of the 36 states of the federation and run at subsidised rates.
He said the initiative will commence in the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, before expanding to other parts of the federation, stressing that political support must go beyond rhetoric to tangible contributions.
On mobilisation ahead of 2027, he disclosed that HBTO is preparing for a two-million-man mobilisation march across the six geopolitical zones, beginning in Abuja, and will focus on supporting the FCT Minister in delivering the FCT and Rivers State for President Tinubu.
Abba added that the organisation is preparing for a major mobilisation exercise in Rivers State next week, with structures already activated across zones to build a disciplined grassroots that HBTO is built on conviction and commitment, and expressed readiness to work with political stakeholders, community leaders, youth and women groups towards the re-election of President Tinubu in 2027.
