Politics not about gender but numbers, First Lady tells APC women leaders

….Urges female politicians to engage constituents, hold town hall meetings

By Johnbosco Agbakwuru

ABUJA — Nigeria’s First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, on Monday advised women seeking political office to build stronger connections with their constituents, saying success in politics depends more on numbers and grassroots support than gender.

Speaking while hosting women leaders of the All Progressives Congress, APC, in Abuja, Mrs Tinubu stressed the need for women politicians, especially those already in elective positions, to regularly engage with the people through town hall meetings and other forms of direct interaction.

Her remarks came against the backdrop of concerns over the low number of women who emerged successful in the recently concluded party primaries.

Fielding questions on what the APC was doing to encourage greater female participation in politics, the First Lady said party structures and grassroots mobilisation remain critical factors in electoral success.

“There are party structures that you have to acknowledge,” she said, adding: “You should understand that politics is not about gender; it’s about numbers.”

She urged women aspiring for political office to earn the trust of the people by maintaining close contact with their communities.

“They have to connect with the people whose trust they want. They have to connect. I don’t see that, I’m sorry to say. And then, when they win, when they get this position, do they listen to you?” she asked.

Mrs Tinubu also commended APC women leaders for their grassroots mobilisation efforts and encouraged them to sustain their engagement with party members and communities.

She expressed optimism about the achievements of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration, saying significant progress had been made in addressing national challenges over the past three years.

“We have identified the problems and we are working to fix them. It will take time to sing our victory song, but this administration has done a lot in three years,” she said.

Describing Nigeria as “a great country with a huge future,” the First Lady pointed to ongoing investments in road and rail infrastructure as evidence of efforts to improve connectivity and economic development.

“Flights are expensive everywhere, even in America, but the President is working on roads and rail to connect our people,” she said.

Mrs Tinubu also highlighted the recent “10 Million Women, One Voice” initiative and a women’s rally held ahead of the meeting, describing both as important steps toward greater female participation and empowerment.

She advocated making the programme an annual national event focused on celebrating women and supporting vulnerable groups.

“We can come together, celebrate each other and empower the vulnerable,” she said.

The First Lady disclosed that buses donated to support party activities had been distributed to various APC zones for use by women and party members.

On leadership and political participation, she encouraged women to aspire to public office and not be discouraged by perceived educational limitations.

“The minimum requirement to run for office is a school certificate; you can aspire. But more education helps you stand firm,” she said.

She also stressed the importance of balancing political engagement with family responsibilities, arguing that strong homes remain the foundation of a stable society.

“You can do politics and keep your home. Even though I play politics, I take care of my home,” she said.

According to her, many social challenges confronting the country can be traced to problems within the family structure.

“Many of the restiveness we see stems from the home. Raise good children and build solid homes,” she added.

The First Lady further urged women leaders to help citizens access employment and empowerment opportunities by providing guidance on application processes.

“There are jobs, but many people don’t know how to apply. Tell them to use the portal. If the application is online, apply online — don’t miss the chance,” she said.

She also reiterated the need for a national census to provide accurate demographic data for effective planning and development.

“I can’t wait till the government has a census so that we can know the people we are planning for,” she said.

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