The First Lady said women need to acquire higher education to build the capacity and competence needed to hold public office effectively.
KaNo —
First Lady Senator Oluremi Tinubu on Monday encouraged women to pursue higher education to build the competence and capacity needed to hold public office effectively.
“I tell people that the minimum requirement to run for an office is just a school certificate. But what is good is to have a lot of education,” Mrs Tinubu told a gathering of state and zonal women leaders of the All Progressives Congress she hosted at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.
Her remarks come barely two weeks after the APC’s nationwide primaries, which saw several high-profile female lawmakers and aspirants lose their bids for the House of Representatives to their male counterparts.
The APC House of Representatives primaries held on May 16, 2026, produced several high-profile female casualties, including Miriam Onuoha of Okigwe North, Imo State, who failed to secure a return ticket after two terms in the legislature.
In Edo South, Senator Neda Imasuen lost to former House of Representatives member Omoregie Ogbeide-Ihama, making her one of the most prominent female casualties of the May 18 Senate primaries.
In Lagos, 12 women contested the House of Representatives primaries, representing only 15.4 per cent of the aspirants, below the party’s stated 35 per cent affirmative action target
Speaking to the party’s women leadership in Abuja, the First Lady, cited her own political journey, emphasising the need to connect with constituents, build trust at the grassroots, and maintain those relationships after winning office.
“I have run elections not once, not twice, but thrice. I am the first woman to be in the Senate for three terms. I don’t sing my own praises, but I am a silent worker. I work seven days a week. I connect with the grassroots. I will hit my chest today to say I am the only woman who has ever done town hall meetings every quarter. I did that consecutively for a good eight years. I have documents to show for that” she argued
” There are party structures that you have to acknowledge. Politics is not about gender; it’s about numbers to start with. That was why I started speaking about the special bill before it became very big”
“When you have something, use it to earn the respect of your people, the people who have voted for you. You have to connect with them. I tell some of my female leaders, ‘If I find it difficult to reach out to you, how do you want your constituents to reach out to you?” she stated
Regarding grassroots engagement, she cited failures she had observed among women who won office and then lost touch with the people who put them there.
“Some people will come to the office and forget. Many women have never come to ask, ‘How did you do it?’ But me, I have mentors. So, to women, who is mentoring you?” The first Lady said
According to her, “Politics is very, very sensitive.
People come to our homes; we didn’t invite them, but when they come, we treat them well.”The best caterer in Lagos is the person who caters for my food, and that is the food I give them. So I don’t give them trash. It is what I eat that I use to give them, it is not trash? These people matter, and they will go the long haul with you.”she said
She also called on state governors to provide buses for the APC women’s wing in their respective states.
She announced that buses funded by donations would be distributed to women’s zones, with each bus remaining in the custody of the zonal leader responsible for it.
On the economy and transport costs, The First Lady said the President’s road and rail infrastructure drive was a deliberate policy aimed at reducing the burden of expensive air travel on ordinary Nigerians.
“Flights are expensive everywhere in the world, even in America. That is why Mr. President is doing the coastal roads and trying to build more rail lines. We continue to keep building,” she said
The First Lady further urged the women to balance their political work with strong homes, saying,
“You can do party work, but make sure you raise good children and a good family. All the restiveness we are seeing around us starts from home. I played politics for twelve years and God still kept my home.”she added
Earlier, the party’s National Women Leader, Dr Mary Alile, disclosed that 17 newly elected state women leaders and four newly elected zonal women leaders had joined the party’s national structure.
Their election reflects the growing confidence in women’s leadership within our great party and reinforces our commitment to greater inclusion and participation,” Dr Alile said
Alile further noted that the APC Women Wing remained one of the strongest and most vibrant political women’s structures in Africa, with an active presence across all 36 states, the FCT, the 774 local government areas, and every ward and polling unit in the country.
“APC women continue to serve as the backbone of grassroots mobilisation, voters’ education, community engagement and electoral success. Women have consistently demonstrated loyalty, resilience and capacity in advancing the ideals and victories of our great party.” She noted
The women’s leader also disclosed the establishment of the Tinubu Torchbearers, a grassroots mobilisation platform to deepen engagement and build stronger connections between the government and the people.
“The Tinubu Torchbearers is positioned as a powerful vehicle of advocacy, mobilisation, enlightenment and citizen engagement. As we begin preparation towards future electoral engagements, particularly the forthcoming election and the campaign, it is imperative that the Women Wing remain fully mobilised, fully organised and actively involved,” she said
the Women Wing must remainare left out in the political space due to economic, social and cultural norms.the bill seeking to establish additional seats reserved for women in Nigeria,is yet to pass a second reading despite commitments from rights group ,the parliament and civil society organizations.
