From Umar Nagogo, Asst. Politics Editor, in Kano
AMIDST loud whispers that the north holds the ace as the battle ground in tomorrow’s presidential election, support groups fiercely loyal to former Chief of Army Staff and Minister of the Interior, Lt. General Bello Abdulrahman Dambazau have reportedly secured more than 2 million votes for All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu against Alhaji Atiku Abubakar of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Mr. Peter Obi of Labour Party and Senator Rabiu Kwakwanso of New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP).
Secretary General of the BIGG, an acronym of BAT Initiative for Good Governance, Mr. Abdullahi Kuraye, indicated yesterday in Kano shortly after a meeting he said was part of the group’s homestretch executive session, that over 2 million votes have been projected and secured in the kitty for the former Lagos State governor whose increasing support in the north is believed to be a huge concern for other candidates especially Atiku.
Mr. Kuraye who spoke alongside BIGG’s director of contact and mobilization, Mr. Sanusi Mohammed, said that over 300 sub-support groups comprising professional, student, market women, artisans, nail cutters, tailors, fruit sellers, meat sellers, textile hawkers, general merchandise traders, cultural and cooperative associations, etc under the auspices of the non-political BIGG have aligned, collaborating, canvassing and working assiduously, singing from the same song book, for Bola Ahmed Tinubu (BAT) based on what they attributed to his sterling qualities particularly his passion for the unity, growth and good governance in the country.‘’ BIGG has a projected 2, 010, 000 for Tinubu/Shettima.
The BIGG, a neutral, voluntary and non-profit national strategic support platform under the national chairmanship of Lt. General Abdulrahman Bello Dambazau (retd) has engaged and registered 235 support groups CSOs, CBOs, Students and cooperative societies, etc canvassing for votes for Asiwaju’s victory in the 2023 presidential election.
‘’The vibrant students wing in 484 wards with 11, 222 polling units will strategically generate no less than 500, 000 votes from students in 44 LGAs of Kano State, about 240, 000 votes will come from each support group of 1, 500 members with 420, 000 votes and 100, 000 votes from women wing and LGA women leaders respectively.‘’Another 340, 000 votes have been generated from a novel soccer competition tagged, BIGG Tinubu Cup 2022 in which many teams, players, teeming fans and supporters, 410, 000 votes from Digital website campaigns and mobilization efforts’’, Kuraye said.
Explaining that BIGG’s membership and strategic engagement cut across regional, religious, professional, trade unions of artisans, civil and community groupings, Kuraye maintained since 10 years ago when the idea of a national platform for good governance advocacy was mooted by him and his friends, General Bello Dambazau’s involvement in their operations have brought immense reach, vibes, verve, value and vitality in ways they could not imagine. ‘’We know that what we are doing is monumentally historical. General Dambazau’s involvement is phenomenal because of his unique passion for the growth and development of this country.
Little wonder that as soon as we resolved to work for Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu whom we unanimously endorsed as a euphemism for national unity, growth and good governance based on what he did as former Lagos State governor, it has been a fulfilling experience and which, Insha Allah, shall be finally consummated tomorrow, Saturday, February 25, 2023, as our members march out en masse to make it a reality with our votes. ‘’Tomorrow, we have a date with history.
It is a defining moment for us, our children and our children’s children. This is not a time for mundane sentiments. For our continued unity, we need someone from the south to succeed President Buhari. In the south, we need someone who has demonstrated passion for national unity and drive for growth and development. We need not look further, that person is Bola Ahmed Tinubu. He ticks all the boxes’’, he said.
