2027 Elections: Road Transport Employers Back Tinubu For Second Tenure

The Road Transport Employers Association of Nigeria (RTEAN) has endorsed President Bola Tinubu for the 2027 presidential election, pledging to mobilise support for his re-election across all 774 local government areas of the country.

Naija News reports that the endorsement was announced on Sunday by the President of the association, Musa Maitakobi, while hosting a delegation of the All Progressives Congress Jagaban Squad on a courtesy visit to Abuja.

During the visit, Maitakobi was formally crowned Life Patron of the Jagaban Squad. As part of its support for the APC and President Tinubu, Maitakobi disclosed that the association would donate a fully branded bus to the Jagaban Squad to boost the group’s visibility and operational mobility within the Federal Capital Territory.

According to him, the bus will be branded with the Jagaban Squad’s identity alongside photographs of President Tinubu and will be deployed by the Abuja-based coordinator of the group as a mobile platform for showcasing its activities.

He added that discussions were ongoing with key APC stakeholders on the possibility of securing additional buses to strengthen nationwide outreach ahead of the 2027 general election.

Maitakobi described RTEAN as one of the most organised political support structures in the country, noting that the association has functional leadership in all local government areas nationwide.

“RTEAN chairmen in every state are fully committed to ensuring victory for the APC. Once the campaign officially begins, our mobilisation efforts will be intensified,” he said.

He further disclosed plans by the association to convene a national convention to publicly reaffirm its political direction and continued support for President Tinubu.

The RTEAN president recalled that the association openly identified with Tinubu during the 2023 presidential campaign, long before the election.

“At the presidential campaign rally in Jos in 2023, we were present in our uniforms. We were also seen in Kano, Ogun, Jigawa and many other locations across the country,” he said.

Maitakobi revealed that his loyalty to the APC had come at a personal cost, including the demolition of his house in his home state.

‘Our Efforts Will Be Doubled In 2027’

Looking ahead to the next general election, Maitakobi assured that RTEAN’s mobilisation would surpass what was done in previous campaigns.

“By the grace of God, our focus is now on 2027. Compared to what we did in the past, our efforts this time will be doubled and even multiplied,” he said.

“Those who honoured me as Patron of the Jagaban Squad are determined to show the world that we stand firmly with Bola Ahmed Tinubu.”

Maitakobi also commended the Tinubu administration for what he described as transformative initiatives in the transport sector, particularly the introduction of Compressed Natural Gas vehicles and filling stations across the country.

He noted that transport unions, including RTEAN and the Nigerian Association of Road Transport Owners, as well as labour centres, have benefited from the distribution of CNG vehicles.

He expressed optimism that a Transport Bank, similar to the Bank of Industry and the Bank of Agriculture, would be established to support operators in the sector.

The RTEAN president disclosed that the association has over five million registered members nationwide and pledged continued loyalty to the Tinubu administration.

In his remarks, the National Coordinator of the APC Jagaban Squad, Adekunle Alebiosu, thanked RTEAN for its support and partnership, describing the association as a formidable organisation with strong grassroots reach.

“RTEAN is a formidable organisation with a strong nationwide structure. Its support will significantly boost grassroots mobilisation for the APC ahead of the 2027 presidential election,” he said.

Alebiosu expressed confidence that the partnership between RTEAN and the Jagaban Squad would yield positive results for the APC.

“We are confident that this partnership will contribute immensely to the success of President Tinubu and the APC in the coming election cycle,” he added.