PBAT pledges security, development measures in second term

PBAT pledges security, development measures in second term

President Bola Tinubu has urged voters in Plateau State to support him and other All Progressives Congress (APC) candidates in the 2027 elections, citing his administration’s security commitments and development projects as reasons to renew the party’s mandate.

Tinubu made the appeal at the APC’s North-Central campaign rally at the 60,000-capacity Zaria Road Stadium in Jos, where he also called for unity and peaceful coexistence among Nigerians of different religious, ethnic and cultural backgrounds.

He said the country’s diversity should reinforce a shared national identity.

On security, the President said surveillance cameras promised for Plateau had arrived in Nigeria and would soon be installed. He also said 1,000 forest guards recruited by the Federal Government were undergoing training and would begin work when they completed it. President Tinubu said the guards would support existing security agencies, particularly by monitoring forests and other vulnerable areas.

Vice-President Kashim Shettima credited the progress in Plateau and nationwide to Tinubu’s “transformational and courageous leadership,” calling the president a unique leader.

Shettima praised Plateau residents for their contributions to Nigeria in education, agriculture, the military, trade, culture and sport. He described the people of the state as “a gift to the nation” and said the APC has returned to seek a renewed mandate.

He urged voters to support Tinubu, Plateau Governor Caleb Mutfwang and other APC candidates in the 2027 elections.

Senate President Godswill Akpabio said the creation of state police is in the pipeline as part of efforts to improve security across the country.

The APC National Chairman, Nentawe Yilwatda, also cited the provision of surveillance cameras and forest guards among the federal government’s commitments to Plateau.

He said the state has benefited from the Federal Government in terms of roads, two army battalions, a brigade and four security command centres.

Yilwatda described Tinubu as a “promise keeper” and urged Plateau residents to support the president at the ballot box. He said federal projects and security measures showed that the administration had acted on commitments made to the state.

Governor Mutfwang welcomed Tinubu to Jos, describing Plateau as a home of peace and tourism and a state with a significant place in Nigeria’s political history.

He said Jos had hosted major political events and welcomed the president’s presence at the rally.

He thanked President Tinubu for federal support, particularly in road infrastructure, education and healthcare. He said his administration has been explaining the impact of federal initiatives to residents and expressed confidence that continued cooperation would benefit Plateau State.

Mutfwang also outlined state programmes designed to address employment, transport and security needs. He added that an initiative would create opportunities for about 2,000 young people to work remotely for organisations in the United States and Europe. He also referred to a tech-driven command centre to support crime detection and other security operations.

The governor said new CNG buses were being added to reduce transport difficulties for residents.

He acknowledged that security challenges remain and expressed hope that displaced people would be able to return to their ancestral homes with continued government intervention.

The 𝐃𝐢𝐫𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐨𝐫 𝐆𝐞𝐧𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐥 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 Pre𝐬𝐢𝐝𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐚𝐥 Cam𝐩𝐚𝐢𝐠𝐧 Cou𝐧𝐜𝐢𝐥, Senator Abdulaziz Yari, urged Plateau residents to vote for Tinubu, saying the president deserved another term.

He praised the administration’s economic management and said increased federal revenues would give governments more resources to deliver public goods.

Speaker of the House of Representatives Tajudeen Abbas also urged voters to re-elect Tinubu and Mutfwang. He said residents should compare and contrast the projects done by previous governments with what the current administration is doing today.

Former Plateau State governors Joshua Dariye and Simon Lalong, former Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives Ahmed Wase, and former deputy governor Pauline Tallen separately pledged support for Tinubu. They cited federal projects in the state and the appointment of Plateau indigenes to national positions, including Yilwatda’s election as APC national chairman.

During the rally, Yilwatda handed APC flags to governors seeking re-election and governorship candidates in Nasarawa, Aliyu 𝐖𝐚𝐝𝐚𝐝𝐚, and Kwara, 𝐘𝐚𝐤𝐮𝐛𝐮 𝐃𝐚𝐧𝐥𝐚𝐝𝐢. He told them to hold the flags in trust and work for victory at every level, from national offices to the wards.

Many present and past governors, ministers and presidential aides attended the colourful rally.