President Tinubu’s Heart Panting For Leaders of Likeminds
By Bamidele Atoyebi
The core mission of the BAT Ideological Group is rooted in a profound realization: leadership is not merely about holding office, but about carrying a specific political spirit. We are dedicated to raising men and women who will become “walking carriers” of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s vision. Our commitment is to replicate his unique brand of progressive governance and institutionalize it at every level of society, from the federal capital down to the smallest rural ward across the nation.
We believe that the BAT Ideological Group, the BAT Institute of Governance, and the Center for Politics and Public Policy should have been established long before the President assumed office. These institutions would have served as a high-level incubator for leadership, providing a structured environment to groom the next generation of public servants. Had this framework been in place, it would have been the natural reservoir from which to appoint Ministers, Directors-General, and Chairmen who are already aligned with the President’s developmental DNA.
The absence of such a talent pipeline has made the task of national transformation more strenuous. One can hear the urgency in the President’s voice whenever he hosts governors, ministers, and legislators for dinner. His heart “pants” for a cadre of leaders, senators, local government chairmen, and councilors who possess the same zeal, fire and passion for systemic change that he does. He is searching for like-minded architects who do not just occupy seats but actively build the nation’s future.
A true carrier of the BAT spirit is a leader who initiates localized versions of transformative federal programs. We need leaders at the state and local levels who will see the success of NELFUND and immediately replicate it to support primary and secondary education in their own domains. The goal is to ensure that the “Renewed Hope” agenda is not just a federal slogan, but a lived reality for every student in every classroom, regardless of their geography.
Infrastructural audacity is another hallmark of the President’s leadership that must be decentralized. While the federal government pushes the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway, the Sokoto-Badagry road, and the Ajaokuta-Kano-Kaduna Gas project, we need state-level leaders who think with the same scale and precision. The spirit of BAT demands leaders who envision and execute massive infrastructure projects that unlock the economic potential of their specific regions.
Social welfare is the soul of this ideology, and it requires passionate implementation at the grassroots. We advocate for leaders who will “copy and paste” the federal commitment to healthcare, providing free treatment for retirees and subsidized dialysis for those in need. A leader aligned with this spirit ensures that no child under the age of 18 is denied medical attention, creating a social safety net that mirrors the President’s compassionate approach to governance.
Labor relations and the welfare of educators are also central to this vision. We need leaders who will honor the spirit of the FG-ASUU agreements by implementing similar standards for state higher education and primary school teachers. By prioritizing the dignity of the workforce, these leaders ensure that the foundation of our intellectual capital our teachers is solid and respected, mirroring the President’s desire for a stable and thriving educational sector.
The President’s heart yearns for leaders who understand that the prosperity of the city begins in the village. This means opening up and constructing all access roads to farms, ensuring that our rural agrarian communities are linked to the national economy. A “walking carrier” of the BAT spirit knows that food security is not achieved through rhetoric, but through the hard work of paving the paths that bring produce from the soil to the marketplace.
There is a strategic reason why the President has taken the issue of fiscal federalism personal. By empowering state and local governments financially, he has effectively turned them into “money bags” intended for grassroots development. It is a bold move that often leaves the federal government struggling to pay its own contractors, all in a bid to ensure that the tiers of government closest to the people have the resources they need to thrive.
However, this financial empowerment requires a corresponding shift in leadership character. Without leaders who share the President’s passion and accountability, increased funding only leads to increased waste. The BAT Ideological Group exists to ensure that these resources are handled by men and women of “likemind” leaders who see public funds as a sacred trust to be used for the upliftment of the common man rather than personal enrichment.
We are of the firm opinion that establishing the Bola Ahmed Tinubu Endowed Chair and similar academic centers is vital for the intellectual preservation of this governance style. These centers will study, refine, and teach the “Tinubu Method,” ensuring that his approach to public policy and accountability becomes a permanent feature of Nigerian political science. We are not just supporting a man; we are institutionalizing a philosophy of governance that works.
Ultimately, our commitment to this cause is one we will never joke with. We are building a movement that bridges the gap between high-level policy and grassroots execution. By raising a generation of leaders who breathe the same air of progress as the President, we ensure that his developmental efforts in all sectors are not only sustained but amplified. We are the guardians of this political spirit, and we are determined to see it flourish in every ward in Nigeria.
Bamidele Atoyebi is the Convener of BAT Ideological Group, National Coordinator of Accountability and Policy Monitoring and a publisher at Unfiltered and Mining Reporting
