Yobe State Governor, Hon. Mai Mala Buni, has commended President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s vision for sports development, describing it as an effort to transform sports from a social activity into a viable economic sector capable of driving job creation, national integration and economic growth.

Buni made the remarks at the official unveiling of five million Tinubu-customized footballs, organised by the Tinubu Progressive Advocates (TPA) in Abuja.

The governor, who was represented by his deputy, Hon. Idi Barde Gubana, said the Renewed Hope initiative for Nigeria’s sports economy was designed to position sports as a significant contributor to the country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP), tourism, investment and employment.

He urged Nigerians to remain patient with the present administration and support its transformation agenda across sports and other sectors of the economy.

“The Tinubu government is doing a lot in expanding sports’ contribution to the GDP by at least three per cent over a four-to-five-year period, and if he is re-elected, he will still do more and complete his transformation programme,” Buni said.

Meanwhile, the National Coordinator of the Tinubu Progressive Advocates, Ambassador Moses Ebahor, disclosed that the five million customized footballs would be distributed across all states of the federation immediately after the flag-off of President Tinubu’s presidential campaign in Kaduna.

The event also featured the presentation of the “Progressive APC Man of the Decade” award to Governor Buni in recognition of his contributions.