The City Boy Movement (CBM) has commenced its maiden three-day National Retreat in Abuja, inaugurating its National Working Committee (NWC) and unveiling an ambitious plan to mobilise 10 million votes in support of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

The retreat, which began on Monday and runs until Wednesday, July 15, has brought together members of the movement’s Governing Board, National Working Committee, National Directors, State Directors and other stakeholders from the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory.

According to the organisers, the retreat is designed to strengthen the movement’s organisational structure, review its activities and prepare members for intensified grassroots mobilisation in support of the Federal Government’s Renewed Hope Agenda.

A major highlight of the opening ceremony was the swearing-in of members of the National Working Committee and State Directors, who took an oath of office, pledging to uphold the movement’s constitution, ideals and objectives with integrity, loyalty and dedication.

The event also featured goodwill messages from the Minister of Youth Development, Ayodele Olawande; the movement’s patron, Seyi Tinubu; and the Director-General of the City Boy Movement, Francis Oluwatosin Shoga.

Addressing participants, Olawande urged members to remain united, disciplined and focused, stressing the importance of grassroots mobilisation.

“Politics is not a game for those who sit on the sidelines. This is the time to organise, mobilise and take our message to every street, every community and every home,” he said.

He encouraged participants to return to their respective states as ambassadors of the Renewed Hope Agenda by communicating the achievements of President Tinubu’s administration while remaining responsive to the aspirations of Nigerians.

In his welcome address, Seyi Tinubu described the retreat as “the gathering of a movement” and “not a celebration of yesterday, but a preparation for tomorrow.”

He said the City Boy Movement had evolved into a national platform promoting youth participation, democratic engagement and service, urging members to become “communicators, educators, mobilisers and ambassadors of hope” through responsible engagement with citizens.

Delivering the keynote address, Shoga challenged members to build a disciplined, united and purpose-driven organisation capable of sustaining its objectives over the long term.

He highlighted several initiatives of the Tinubu administration, including the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND), youth skills development programmes, digital innovation, infrastructure expansion and economic reforms, describing them as practical demonstrations of the Renewed Hope Agenda.

“The City Boy Movement must become the bridge between the message and the people. We must inform, engage and empower Nigerians with clarity, facts and conviction,” Shoga said.

He also announced what he described as an ambitious mobilisation target for the movement.

“Our mission is clear. Our target is 10 million votes. Our strength is our people. And our time is now,” he declared.

According to him, achieving the target would require sustained grassroots engagement rather than reliance on social media campaigns alone.

“Ten million votes will not come from slogans or social media. They will come from real people, real structures, real engagement and real work at the grassroots,” he said.

Shoga urged members at all levels of the organisation to expand the movement’s presence across wards and communities nationwide by recruiting new members and strengthening local structures.

“If you believe in this movement, bring someone into this movement. Get involved. Get organised. Get to work,” he said.

He added: “History will one day ask what we did when we were allowed to serve. Let our answer be simple: we stood up, we organised, we worked, we mobilised, and we delivered.”

The three-day retreat is expected to feature strategic planning sessions, leadership development programmes, policy engagements and capacity-building workshops aimed at strengthening the City Boy Movement’s nationwide operations.

Participants are also expected to adopt a roadmap for expanding the movement’s grassroots structures and reinforcing support for President Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda ahead of future political activities.