INTERVIEW WITH AKWA IBOM STATE COORDINATOR OF FTIFN, CHIEF KINGSLEY OYONG
Akwa Ibom Times over the weekend sat down with Chief Kingsley Oyong, the Akwa Ibom State Coordinator of Relax Tinubu Is Fixing Nigeria, RTIFN, a pro Tinubu support and advocacy group that is mobilising nationwide for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s 2027 re election bid. In this conversation, Chief Oyong explained the mandate of RTIFN, its grassroots structure in Akwa Ibom State and how the group is aligning its work with the re-election targets of President Tinubu, Governor Umo Eno and Senate President Godswill Akpabio in 2027.
Inauguration and emergence of RTIFN
AkwaIbomTimes: Chief, thank you for speaking with Akwa Ibom Times. To begin with, kindly introduce yourself and your new assignment.
Chief Kingsley Oyong: Thank you very much. I am Chief Kingsley Oyong, the Akwa Ibom State Coordinator of Relax Tinubu Is Fixing Nigeria, RTIFN, a youth-driven, pro-administration advocacy movement that is standing in the gap to explain President Tinubu’s reforms and to mobilise solid support for his 2027 mandate. I was inaugurated alongside other State Coordinators by the National Leadership of RTIFN during a major inauguration held in Abuja recently, which marked the formal rollout of the group’s state structures across the federation.
AkwaIbomTimes: Many of our readers are just getting familiar with RTIFN. What exactly does the group stand for and why the name “Relax Tinubu Is Fixing Nigeria”.
Chief Kingsley Oyong: RTIFN is a Renewed Hope advocacy and mobilisation platform, inspired by young Nigerians around President Tinubu who believe that nation building requires patience, accurate information and sustained civic engagement. The name sends a clear message that Nigerians should stay calm, reject despair and recognise that the difficult policy decisions this administration is taking, from subsidy removal to tax and exchange rate reforms, are part of a deliberate effort to fix structural problems and reposition the economy.
AkwaIbomTimes: Some people still see support groups as mere campaign outfits. Is RTIFN just about slogans or is there a deeper mandate.
Chief Kingsley Oyong: There is a deep and serious mandate. At the national level, RTIFN is tasked with three core responsibilities, which every State Executive must domesticate. First, to serve as a bridge between the government and citizens by disseminating verified, easy to understand information on the policies and achievements of President Tinubu’s administration. Second, to counter misinformation and propaganda that seek to undermine confidence in government, particularly among youths who rely heavily on social media for news. Third, to build a robust grassroots political machine that will translate communication and advocacy into actual votes for President Tinubu in 2027 in every state of the federation.
Mandate of RTIFN and State Executive roles
AkwaIbomTimes: You mentioned that each state must domesticate this mandate. What then is the specific responsibility of the Akwa Ibom State Executive of RTIFN.
Chief Kingsley Oyong: The State Executive is the operational nerve centre of RTIFN in Akwa Ibom. Our mandate is to localise the Renewed Hope message and make it relevant to the realities of our communities from Oron to Ikot Ekpene, from Eket to Uyo. Practically, this means coordinating structured public enlightenment on President Tinubu’s programmes, training our volunteers, developing issue based content in our local dialects and sustaining engagement with traditional institutions, youths and professional bodies. We are also responsible for building and supervising Local Government and Ward structures that can deliver measurable votes when the campaign season formally opens for 2027.
AkwaIbomTimes: Can you break down how this structure will function on the ground.
Chief Kingsley Oyong: At the top, we have the National Leadership which provides strategic direction and national messaging. At the state level, my team is responsible for translating those national messages into local narratives, identifying champions, and ensuring that every local government understands both the big picture and its specific targets. Each Local Government Coordinator will in turn build Ward teams that are responsible for street level mobilisation, door-to-door enlightenment and data gathering on supporters and undecided voters, so our operation is scientific rather than sentimental.
Mobilising for Tinubu, Umo Eno and Akpabio in 2027
AkwaIbomTimes: There is already a growing conversation that 2027 in Akwa Ibom will be about a combined ticket of sorts for President Tinubu, APC Governor Umo Eno and Senate President Godswill Akpabio. Where does RTIFN stand on this.
Chief Kingsley Oyong: Our position is very clear. RTIFN in Akwa Ibom State carries a three-tier mobilisation burden, which we fully embrace. The first is to work tirelessly for the resounding re-election of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in 2027, by demonstrating to our people that the current economic pains are the price of long-term stability and shared prosperity. The second is to support the consolidation of Governor Umo Eno’s mandate, because his economic development blueprint, rural development agenda and peace-oriented leadership provide a stable platform for federal policies to translate into real benefits for our people. The third is to galvanise support for Senate President Godswill Akpabio whose national influence and strategic positioning at the National Assembly are vital for attracting federal projects and appointments to Akwa Ibom State.
AkwaIbomTimes: Some might ask, how can a Tinubu support group also carry the burden of mobilising for a sitting APC governor in the state.
Chief Kingsley Oyong: Politics is local and development-driven. In Akwa Ibom today, President Tinubu’s success, APC Governor Umo Eno’s consolidation and Senator Akpabio’s national leverage are intertwined interests that affect the same citizens, the same markets and the same communities. RTIFN believes that aligning these interests around stability, infrastructure, jobs and social cohesion serves the ordinary Akwa Ibom person far better than divisive politics. Our duty is to explain this logic to the people and to present 2027 as a continuity election, where we deepen and perfect what has already started at both state and federal levels.
Grassroots structure and stakeholder consultations
AkwaIbomTimes: You have spoken about structures. Where exactly are you now in terms of building these Local Government and Ward organs.
Chief Kingsley Oyong: We are currently in an intensive consultation phase. Following the Abuja inauguration of State Coordinators, the Akwa Ibom State Leadership of RTIFN immediately commenced structured engagement with key stakeholders across the three senatorial districts, including party elders, youth leaders, women groups, clergy and opinion moulders. Our target is to have functional Local Government Coordinators in all 31 local government areas and Ward Coordinators in every ward, before the end of the second quarter of this year, subject to the guidance of our National Secretariat.
AkwaIbomTimes: What criteria will you use in appointing Local Government and Ward Coordinators.
Chief Kingsley Oyong: We are looking for people who combine political experience, community respect and digital literacy, because modern mobilisation happens both offline and online. A Local Government Coordinator must first understand the Renewed Hope Agenda, then be able to explain it simply in the village square and convincingly on social media. We are also insisting on a strong youth and women presence in these structures, so that RTIFN does not become an elite club but remains a living grassroots movement with real feedback loops to the national leadership.
Communication strategy and youth engagement in Akwa Ibom
AkwaIbomTimes: Many young people in Akwa Ibom consume information on their phones and are often sceptical of official narratives. How will RTIFN win their confidence.
Chief Kingsley Oyong: Young people are our primary constituency. RTIFN itself is youth-driven at the national level, so our communication strategy in Akwa Ibom will be heavily tech enabled, content based and conversation oriented rather than sermon oriented. We will run campus outreach, community town halls, radio and online shows, as well as targeted social media campaigns that explain specific policies, for instance how federal reforms in power, transport and digital economy can translate into startups, jobs and local investments for Akwa Ibom youths.
AkwaIbomTimes: Some critics say, “If Tinubu was truly fixing Nigeria, there would be no need to tell people to relax”. How do you respond to that in a state like Akwa Ibom.
Chief Kingsley Oyong: The slogan is not an excuse, it is a call to perspective. When you are repairing a leaking roof during rainy season, there will be discomfort before relief, yet the wise person does not abandon the repair halfway because the process is stressful. Our message to Akwa Ibom people is that the reforms are already beginning to stabilise key sectors, investors’ confidence is gradually improving and with an APC governor at home and a strong Senate President at the centre, we are strategically positioned to benefit from the new Nigeria that is emerging.
Closing message to Akwa Ibom people
AkwaIbomTimes: Finally, what is your direct message to the people of Akwa Ibom State as you assume this new role.
Chief Kingsley Oyong: My message is simple. Let us not allow temporary hardship to make us lose sight of permanent possibilities. RTIFN is here to listen, explain, mobilise and work with all well-meaning stakeholders to ensure that in 2027 Akwa Ibom delivers massively for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, returns Governor Umo Eno with a more comfortable mandate and strengthens the hand of Senate President Godswill Akpabio to keep attracting federal benefits to our dear state. With unity, patience and strategic organisation at the state, local government and ward levels, I believe Akwa Ibom will stand out as a model of how Renewed Hope can translate into renewed opportunities for every family.
END OF INTERVIEW
