By Dayo Johnson Akure

Students and youth groups in Ondo State, have begun mobilising support for President Bola Tinubu’s re-election bid ahead of the 2027 general elections.

The mobilisation, announced at a gathering at the Asiwaju Mandate Group (AMG) secretariat, in Akure, the Ondo state capital, was driven largely by the influence of Minister of Interior Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo.

National Association of Nigerian Students chairman Mayomi Adekanye, praised Tunji-Ojo’s contributions to student welfare and youth development, citing his support for students through bursaries and other interventions. Adekanye said over 1,000 student leaders attended the event, representing a larger student population.

Adekanye described Tunji-Ojo as a leader whose contributions to student welfare and youth development had earned him widespread support across campuses.
‎
‎According to him” the minister, both as a former member of the House of Representatives and now a cabinet member, had consistently supported students through bursaries and other interventions.
‎
‎” Such efforts made it easy for students to align with the administration, the Ministers engagement with young people goes beyond his official responsibilities.
‎
‎The students leader, said that the students present at the event were representatives drawn from various institutions, faculties and local government areas in the state.
‎
‎According to him ” over 1,000 student leaders were mobilised for the gathering, stressing that each of them represents a larger student population within their respective institutions.
‎
‎ “When someone has done something good, you support such a person and that is why we are here today.

“Despite the situation in the country, we came out using Hon. Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo to canvass support for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is very easy for us, because he has been performing remarkably well.
‎
‎”When he (Tunji-Ojo) served as a member of the House of Representatives, representing Akoko North-West/Akoko North-East Federal Constituency, he did very well.

“Now, as the Minister of Interior of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, he is still doing well.
‎
‎”He has also extended his goodwill to the student community. He did not limit his impact to his office alone, his influence goes beyond that.

“So, he is doing well, and that is why we are here today to support him and, by extension, declare support for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.”
‎
The Director General of AMG, Olumuyiwa Asagunla, said that the mobilisation was part of a broader strategy to engage critical stakeholders, including artisans, market women, and transport workers, on the administration’s policies and programmes.

Asagunla said that the group had earlier engaged commercial motorcycle riders and other groups, adding that the current focus on students and youths was aimed at strengthening grassroots support.
‎
‎Efforts, according to him “were ongoing to sensitise various segments of society, including artisans, market women, non-indigenes and transport workers, on the administration’s policies and programmes.
‎
‎He said that the mobilisation would soon extend to tertiary institutions across the state, expressing confidence that participants would promote the President’s agenda within their communities.
‎
‎Asagunla declared that “Soon, we will start visiting campuses, and they will also go out to promote the message of Tinubu’s second term, as encouraged by Dr. Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo.