In this piece, Our Managing Editor Ekuson Nw’Ogbunka reports in. Abuja the nation’s centre of unity, that the campaign for 2027 has quietly begun, and the message from the Senate President is clear: winning votes is not enough. On the day the President Bola Ahmed Tinubu Door-to-Door Movement was inaugurated in Abuja, Godswill Akpabio told the new executives that their job goes beyond chasing ballots. They must heal divisions, restore trust, and prove that politics can still build a nation. With branded vehicles rolled out and party heavyweights in attendance, the event signaled both the start of grassroots mobilisation and a call for a different kind of politics, one built on respect at every doorstep.
The President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio, has charged the National Executives and members of the PBAT Door-to-Door Movement to go beyond seeking support for President Tinubu’s reelection.
He said the group must also promote national unity among the citizenry.
Akpabio gave the charge during the inauguration of the National Executive of the campaign group in Abuja.
The event also featured the commissioning of campaign vehicles to be used for mobilising nationwide support and securing votes for President Bola Tinubu’s re-election in 2027.
According to Akpabio, the task ahead is bigger than politics. “A movement that goes from door to door must do more than seek support; it must carry truth, inspire confidence, listen to the people, and return to those same doors with the dividends of good governance. That is how democracies endure,” he said.
In a statement by his Special Assistant on Media/Communication, Anietie Ekong, Akpabio further urged the new executives. “Your greatest assignment is not merely to mobilise support but to inspire hope, promote national unity and encourage constructive engagement,” he said.
While warning against politics that destroys relationships, Senate President Godswill Obot Akpabio had this to say:
“Politics should never divide us beyond repair. Elections may produce winners and losers, but Nigeria must always emerge the ultimate winner.” Reminding them the gathering of the bigger picture, he said: “Our nation is greater than any political party, greater than any office holder and greater than any election,” he said.
“We inherited this Republic from those who built it before us, and we hold it in trust for those who will come after us. Let us therefore conduct ourselves in ways that future generations will remember with gratitude.”
Akpabio defined the role of the new executives as more than campaigners.
“As you are inaugurated today, remember that you are ambassadors not merely of a political movement but of democratic engagement,” he said.
He gave specific instructions for their grassroots work.
“Knock on every door with respect. Listen before you persuade. Unite before you mobilise,” he charged.
“Let every conversation strengthen faith in our democracy and confidence in Nigeria’s future,” he added.
“When politics is conducted with patriotism and service, every door opened becomes another gateway to national renewal. And every door leads to a renewed hope for a greater Nigeria.”
Akpabio congratulated the leadership of the PBAT Door-to-Door Movement on the inauguration. He commended the organisers for creating a platform that combines civic engagement with intellectual discourse.
Businessman Government Ekpemupolo, who founded and sponsors the movement, spoke on its purpose.
He said the inauguration is part of efforts to deepen grassroots mobilisation and promote civic participation across the country.
Mr Ekpemupolo, alias Tompolo, also defended the Tinubu administration’s record. He said the economic and structural reforms are beginning to yield benefits, citing increased foreign investment, growth in the Nigerian capital market, and improved fiscal autonomy for sub-national governments.
He described the PBAT Door-to-Door Movement as a nationwide grassroots platform aimed at promoting national development. Its goal, he said, is to support the federal government’s Renewed Hope Agenda through community engagement and democratic participation.
The inauguration drew a crowd of political heavyweights, and in attendance were the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Tajudeen Abbas, APC National Chairman, Professor Nentawe Yilwatda, federal lawmakers, several state governors, ministers, traditional rulers and businessmen.
