By Abidemi Adebamiwa
Supporters of President Bola Tinubu often say his government has achieved a lot. But as 2027 gets closer, more campaign groups, buses, vehicles, and posters are showing up. If people already notice these achievements in their daily lives, why is there such a big push for promotion?
For example, reports say Government Ekpemupolo, also known as Tompolo, gave 50 vehicles to Kano and 25 more to Kogi to help Tinubu’s re-election campaign. Similar donations have happened elsewhere. These are big contributions, so Nigerians deserve to know where political groups get their money. I bring this up because I have some experience; in 2017, I was a fellow at Organizing for Action, the grassroots group that came from Barack Obama’s 2012 re-election campaign.
I joined after Obama left office, but the group still focused on volunteers, community involvement, and individual participation. Obama spent a lot on his campaign, but have you ever wondered where all that money came from?
Obama’s main campaign committee spent about $737.5 million during the 2011–2012 election, and about $549.6 million of that came from individual donors. Along with big donors, regular people also gave their own money, and all the fundraising details were made public in federal records. Knowing where the money comes from matters.
Tompolo is connected to Tantita Security Services, which has a contract to protect NNPC pipelines. Because of this, it makes sense to look closely at his political spending. Nigerians deserve clear information about how money is spent and should know that public funds are not used for political campaigns.
Tinubu’s supporters talk about economic reforms, better infrastructure, and more public revenue. But just using slogans and asking for “four more years” is not enough. The campaign should focus on people whose lives have really improved since Tinubu became president. These people should be able to show better finances at home, safer jobs, better security, lower living costs, and more reliable public services. Stories like these would make a stronger case than buses, posters, or just asking for more time.
The government and its supporters should welcome questions about campaign funding, be transparent with their records, and explain real results. The Obama campaign shows that even expensive campaigns can rely on support from regular people. Nigerians deserve enough openness to know who is funding politics and why.
Most importantly, Tinubu’s campaign should be led by Nigerians who can honestly say their lives have improved because of his leadership, not just by those saying he needs four more years. With support from over 30 governors, including some from the opposition, why spend so much money and effort on re-election? Shouldn’t campaign funds help poor citizens instead? These questions should also be asked about opposition campaigns in Nigeria.
What I’m trying to say to you all is that you should let Nigerians see why you are superior to Tinubu, not just point out how much energy you still have or how impressive or verifiable your academic record may be; let Tinubu keep on displaying his insecurity, since many of you have said so and I entirely agree with that, while you concentrate on the actual issue, namely the millions of suffering Nigerian citizens.
Abidemi is the Managing Editor @ Newspot Nigeria
