The Road Transport Employers Association of Nigeria (RTEAN) has thrown its weight behind President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s bid for re-election in 2027, pledging to mobilise support for him across the country’s 774 local government areas.
The endorsement was announced on Sunday by the association’s President, Musa Maitakobi, while receiving a delegation of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Jagaban Squad during a courtesy visit to Abuja.
At the event, Maitakobi was honoured with the title of Life Patron of the Jagaban Squad. He also revealed that RTEAN would donate a fully branded bus to the group to enhance its visibility and operational reach within the Federal Capital Territory.
According to him, the bus—branded with the Jagaban Squad’s insignia and images of President Tinubu—will be deployed by the group’s Abuja coordinator as a mobile platform to promote its activities. He added that talks were ongoing with key APC stakeholders to secure additional buses to support nationwide mobilisation ahead of the 2027 general election.
Maitakobi described RTEAN as one of the most organised political support networks in Nigeria, noting that the association maintains active leadership structures in all local government areas.
“RTEAN chairmen across the states are fully committed to ensuring victory for the APC. Once campaigns commence, our mobilisation will be intensified,” he said.
He further disclosed plans to convene a national convention where the association would publicly reaffirm its political stance and continued backing of President Tinubu.
Recalling RTEAN’s early support during the 2023 elections, Maitakobi said the association openly identified with Tinubu long before the polls.
“At the 2023 presidential rally in Jos, we attended in our uniforms. We were also present in Kano, Ogun, Jigawa, and several other states,” he stated.
Maitakobi also revealed that his allegiance to the APC came at a personal cost, including the demolition of his house in his home state.
‘Our Efforts Will Be Doubled in 2027’
Looking ahead, the RTEAN president assured that the association’s mobilisation efforts in 2027 would exceed previous campaigns.
“By God’s grace, our focus is now firmly on 2027. Whatever we did in the past will be doubled and even multiplied,” he said.
He praised the Tinubu administration for what he described as transformative policies in the transport sector, particularly the introduction of Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) vehicles and refuelling stations nationwide.
According to him, transport unions such as RTEAN, the Nigerian Association of Road Transport Owners, and labour centres have benefited from the distribution of CNG vehicles. He also expressed optimism that a dedicated Transport Bank—similar to the Bank of Industry and the Bank of Agriculture—would be established to support operators in the sector.
Maitakobi disclosed that RTEAN boasts over five million registered members nationwide and reaffirmed the association’s continued loyalty to the Tinubu-led administration.
In his remarks, the National Coordinator of the APC Jagaban Squad, Adekunle Alebiosu, expressed appreciation to RTEAN for its support, describing the association as a powerful organisation with strong grassroots presence.
“RTEAN is a formidable body with a nationwide structure, and its support will significantly enhance grassroots mobilisation for the APC ahead of the 2027 presidential election,” Alebiosu said.
He added that the partnership between RTEAN and the Jagaban Squad would play a key role in securing electoral success for President Tinubu and the APC in the next election cycle.