By Moses Okorie
Bola Ahmed Tinubu (BAT Vanguard); a support group that worked for the emergence of 2023 presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress, APC, President Bola Tinubu, has celebrated its end of year/new year party to make a retrospect of their activities in 2024 and also to set agenda for the year 2025.
The event which was held in Abuja on Saturday witnessed the presence of leaders of the group from across the federation as well as some appointees of the APC-led administration who came to wine and dine.
National convener of the group, Honourable Olofin Olusola, said the essence of the gathering is enable them know what they have achieved and what they are about to do especially in propagating the government of Bola Tinubu and in reaching out to the downtrodden in the society.
Olofin said, “We are doing this end of the year to mark the retrospect of what we have done in the past and to also set agenda for the new year, because part of the programmes we also do is outreach and ensuring we care for the needy in this administration.
“We take it upon ourselves to visit people who are the downtrodden, and those who are in the hospitals and couldn’t pay their bills. We normally support and counsel them, which is part of the Renewed Hope Agenda from BAT Vanguard. We are doing this in support of our president Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
“BAT Vanguard has been in existence since 2019; having known that he is going to contest and decide on our own that Nigeria at this perilous time shouldn’t be in anyone’s hand other than Bola Ahmed Tinubu. He is the one that can actually lead the people to the promised land.
“As you can see, a lot of policies have been put in place which of course we know will yield results or have started yielding results. If you look at the local government autonomy, it is good to bring government closer to the grassroots. It helps grassroots politicians and dwellers to be able to know what is happening in the politics and to have dividend of democracy.
“Like Christmas this year, we were able reach out to people across the states, because the BAT Vanguard has coordinators in all the states, local government coordinators; this year the government extended their good hands to us then we were able to send it across; rice, cows just to show that administration has not forgotten them.
“This year, there are a lot of concentrations in agriculture, when people have food to eat, they will be in line with the government, because hungry man is an angry man. We have identified the homes that actually need intervention. We are going to be carrying out interventions across the country in support of the government.
“We started in 2018 with only four members and we met the current president, who was not even interested in contesting by then. We told him that we know he is the next president of Nigeria and we want to create this platform to support him, and today we thank God he is there.
It was looking impossible in the first stage, but I am sure Nigerians can now see that things are going in the right direction. A lot of things that I president could not do, he is doing it. It shows that he is a man that can dam any consequence and go straight to do what would impact positively on the country.
On his part, deputy national coordinator of the group, Mr. Henry Okon, expressed delight with growth of BAT Vanguard and believed that 2027 would be a smooth sail for President Tinubu in the presidential election.
Also speaking, the national publicity secretary of the group, Mr. Dare Balogun, said the event was necessary as it gives members from across Nigeria the avenue for reunion. He expressed confidence that 2025 would be a better year for citizens, and wished President Bola Tinubu the wisdom with which make Nigerians happy.