Elizabeth Vincent, Yenagoa
Chief Hon. Reuben Wilson, South-South coordinator of the P-BAT Door-to-Door movement, and member of the House of Representatives representing Burutu Federal constituency, Hon. Julius Ghabojor Pondi, have thrown their weight behind President Bola Tinubu’s bid for a second term in office.
The duo said the President deserves another four-year mandate to consolidate the gains of his administration and deliver more development, particularly to riverine communities in the South-South.
They spoke in Yenagoa, Bayelsa state, during the South-South flag-off of the P-BAT Door-to-Door campaign, a grassroots mobilisation initiative aimed at taking the achievements and programmes of the Tinubu administration to communities across the region.
Wilson, who is also the founder of the pastor Reuben Initiative for good leadership and accountability (PRIFGLA) and a member of the governing council of the university of Uyo, said the movement was committed to educating Nigerians at the grassroots on what he described as the transformative programmes and projects of the Tinubu administration.
Pondi said the gathering was a demonstration of the South-South’s support for the president’s re-election bid, stressing that the campaign would rely on persuasion engagement and grassroots mobilisation rather than coercion.
“We have gathered here to wholeheartedly support the P-BAT Door-to-Door Campaign for Mr President’s second-term bid,” Pondi said,reacting to criticisms that the administration had not done enough to merit re-election, the lawmaker acknowledged that Nigerians were entitled to their opinions but argued that three years was insufficient to fully assess a four-year administration.
“As human beings, everyone is entitled to his or her views and opinions but for us from the South-South who are here today, we believe that Mr President has done well, however, acknowledged that not all the policies of the administration had been immediately comfortable for Nigeriansurging citizens to consider their long-term impact.
“If you give the best president, assuming there is somebody that can be regarded as the best, and allow the person to govern Nigeria, the person cannot perform magic in three years. Mr President has laid the foundation.
“Yes, some of the policies may not be comfortable in the immediate, but let us look at the bigger picture and look ahead,” Pondi stated.
The campaigners also argued that increased resources accruing to state governments were gradually translating into development at the grassroots, including previously underserved riverine communities,they said the movement would intensify its door-to-door engagement across the south-south, with a focus on explaining the administration’s policies and achievements to voters.
“For us in the South-South and in the P-BAT Door-to-Door Movement, our position is that Mr President should be given another four years, Pondi said,he also highlighted the employment opportunities reportedly created by high chief Government Oweizide Ekpemupolo, popularly known as Tompolo, through his business interests, describing the development as a potential source of grassroots support for the President.
According to him, the movement would not deploy force or intimidation but would seek to convince voters through direct engagement.
“We are going door-to-door, not by force, but through persuasion and simple understanding. We believe that when the election comes, it will be a decisive victory for Mr President,” he said.
On what the South-South stands to gain from a Tinubu second term, the lawmakers pointed to interventions by the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) and the establishment of the South-South Development Commission.
Pondi, who chairs the House Committee on the South-South Development Commission, expressed optimism that the new intervention agency would attract the necessary funding to accelerate development across the region.
“There is certainly going to be development. We have the NDDC, which is being funded, and we now have the south-south development commission. It is not fully funded yet, but we believe the intention behind its establishment is good and that the funding will come,he said.
The campaigners expressed confidence that a second term for Tinubu would bring greater development to the Niger Delta, particularly riverine communities that have historically faced infrastructure and economic challenges.
“We believe that when he is re-elected things will not only change for the better, but it will be historic, It will be on record that he is the president who benefited the riverine people more than any other President before him.
“We are pleased with him, and we are supporting his re-election with all our hearts. We will do everything within the law to ensure that he is re-elected.”
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