Kalu Targets 150 Million Registration as Renewed Hope Partners Expand Nationwide
The Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rep. Benjamin Kalu has mandated the Renewed Hope Partners (RHP) to mobilise no fewer than 150 million supporters across the country for President Bola Tinubu reelection bid.
Kalu gave the charge in Abuja on Thursday while hosting a delegation of the support group from Edo, Ekiti and Katsina states.
The courtesy visit, which was a sideline event to the National Convention of the ruling All Progressives Party (APC), was to affirm the readiness of Renewed Hope Partners in advancing and promoting the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, nationwide.
Kalu who is the founder of the initiative, reiterated the objective of RHP, which is to promote achievements and activities of government while advancing Nigeria’s democracy and securing the future of the country.
He tasked the group on promoting the Renewed Hope Agenda and to make it the agenda in all market places, churches, mosques, motor parks, campuses across the country.
“This initaitive speaks to the future of Nigeria. Whatever we do today is to make us a better nation in the years to come.
“We want to have campus branches in all the universities in Nigeria; we want to have our presence in all the major markets, in all the Local Governments in Nigeria.
“We wont even mind to be in all the beer palours, all the churches, all the mosques and motor parks. We want to be there; anywhere people have a gathering to discuss, we want the agenda to be there and for it to be the agenda.
“So your work is to make the agenda of Mr President, the agenda of every common man by breaking it down in the language they will understand; if everybody embraces this agenda of Mr. President, they will know why they are voting for All Progressives Congress.
“You are making people more aware. If it is an election, you go to campaign. If it is voters registration , you go there and mobilise. If it is advocacy, you will be there.
“Our ambition is to raise 150 millions supporters online; as ambitious as that sounds, we are getting some registrations going on as we speak, and the numbers are looking very interesting, which means people are embracing the message of the Renewed Hope Agenda,” he said.
Kalu added that the mandate of the group goes beyond 2027, as it includes lobbying the Members of Parliament, in support of special bills, such as the reserve seat for women bill, independent candidacy, Local Government autonomy, state police and so on.
He referred to the members of the group as change agents, nation builders and defenders of democracy, adding that, the group is opened to all lovers of President Tinubu for partnerships and synergies that will advance the cause of the nation.
Earlier, the National Coordinator of the group, Mr. Mathias Ehizua, said that the group is an initiative of the Deputy Speaker.
Ehizua said that the delegation came to update the Deputy Speaker on the activities of the group and the progress so far made in the two months of its establishment, especially as regards the online registration of members.
He explained the RHP stands out in terms of promoting the activities of the President as it is the only support group with an online database.
In their separate remarks, the Ekiti State Secretary of RHP, Elder Kayode Eso; Zonal Coordinator in Katsina State, Hon. Bishir Yahaya; and the Edo State Women Leader, Comrade Judith Ife; all pledged their commitments to the membership drive of the group across all polling units, wards and local government areas in their respective states.
The Edo State Cordinator, Barr. Armstrong Adedigba, on his part, confirmed that the total of 11,800 members have so far been registered in the state, barely two months of its establishment, while affirming the readiness of other groups including civil society and clergy group, to officially adopt and subscribe to the Renewed Hope Partners in Edo.