Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Benjamin Kalu, has mandated Renewed Hope Partners to mobilise no fewer than 150 million supporters across the country for President Bola Tinubu’s 2027 re-election bid.
Mr Kalu gave the charge in Abuja on Friday while hosting a delegation of the support group from Edo, Ekiti and Katsina.
The deputy speaker, who is the founder of the initiative, said that the objective of RHPs was to promote the achievements and activities of the government while advancing Nigeria’s democracy and securing the country’s future.
He urged the group to promote the Renewed Hope Agenda and make it a talking point in all marketplaces, churches, mosques, motor parks and campuses across the country.
“This initiative speaks to the future of Nigeria. Whatever we do today is to make us a better nation in the years to come. We want to have campus branches in all universities in Nigeria; we want to have our presence in all major markets and all local governments in Nigeria.
“You are making people more aware. If it is an election, you go to campaign. If it is voters’ registration, you go there and mobilise. If it is advocacy, you will be there. Our ambition is to raise 150 million supporters online. As ambitious as that sounds, we are getting some registrations going on as we speak, and the numbers are looking very interesting, which means people are embracing the message of the Renewed Hope Agenda,” he said.
According to him, the mandate of the group goes beyond 2027, as it includes lobbying members of parliament in support of special bills, such as the reserved seat for women bill, independent candidacy, local government autonomy, and state police, among others.
While describing members of the group as change agents, nation builders and defenders of democracy, the deputy speaker said the group was open to all lovers of Tinubu for partnerships and synergies that would advance the cause of the nation.
Earlier, the RHP’s national coordinator, Mathias Ehizua, said the group was an initiative of the deputy speaker.
Mr Ehizua said that the delegation came to update Mr Kalu on the group’s activities and the progress made so far within the two months of its establishment regarding online member registration.
According to him, the group stands out in promoting the president’s activities, as it is the only support group with an online database.
In separate remarks, all the state leaders of the group pledged their commitments to the membership drive across all polling units, wards and local government areas in their respective states.
The Edo coordinator, Armstrong Adedigba, confirmed that a total of 11,800 members had so far been registered in the state within two months of its establishment.
Of the 11,800 members, Mr Adedigba said 1,000weare bishops and religious leaders committed to the group’s cause.
He stated that farmer groups, civil society organisations and clergy groups had also expressed their readiness to adopt and subscribe to RHPs in Edo.
(NAN)
