The women’s wing of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Lagos has formally endorsed President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for a second term in office, setting the stage for intensified mobilisation ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The endorsement came at the party’s annual women’s summit held over the weekend in Lagos, themed “Arise, Aspire, Ascend.” The event drew over 4,000 women leaders, youths, and stakeholders from across the state to discuss strategies for expanding female and youth participation in politics.
Sanwo-Olu Urges Women to Lead
Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, represented by his wife, Dr. Ibijoke Sanwo-Olu, charged women to move beyond grassroots mobilisation and assume leadership roles.
“As women, we must arise from complicity, aspire to take our rightful place in leadership, and ascend to new levels of impact,” he said.
He also urged youths, especially first-time voters, to engage actively in the electoral process.
Minister of Women Affairs, Hajiya Imaan Sulaiman-Ibrahim, declared that Nigerian women would stand firmly behind President Tinubu in 2027, praising his “unprecedented commitment to women’s empowerment and youth development.”
She highlighted Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Social Impact Programme, which supports women, children, families, and vulnerable groups across eight thematic areas, including agriculture and market women empowerment.
For the first time, she revealed, the Women Affairs Ministry has secured ₦2.5 billion for SMEs and an additional ₦2 billion for women in agriculture.
“We don’t want charity seats; we want positions because we have something to offer,” she said, stressing that true empowerment must be economic.
Calls for Voter Mobilisation
APC Lagos Chairman, Cornelius Ojelabi, echoed the endorsement, saying continuity is vital for Nigeria’s economic stability.
“In just three years, this government has reset Nigeria and earned international respect. Continuity is essential,” he said.
APC National Women Leader, Dr. Mary Alile Idele, and Lagos APC Women Leader, Jumoke Okoya-Thomas, also urged members to be proactive, with Okoya-Thomas unveiling a new women’s mobilisation platform for voter education, grassroots organising, and amplifying APC’s achievements.
She charged each local government in Lagos to mobilise at least 1,000 young voters before the year’s end, adding:
“The grassroots are not below; they are the foundation. When women dream, societies evolve.”
The summit concluded with songs of solidarity and renewed pledges of loyalty to the APC. Delegates left with a unified message:
“Arise with dignity, Aspire with vision, Ascend with APC.”