BY EMMA PETER, ABUJA
…Betta Edu Mobilises Women for Early Voting, Urges Them to Monitor Results Until Final Declaration
Nigeria is gradually moving beyond the period of economic hardship and difficult reforms into an era of prosperity, renewed opportunities and improved living conditions under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, First Lady Senator Oluremi Tinubu has assured Nigerians.
The First Lady gave the assurance during the All Progressives Congress (APC) Presidential Campaign Council rally in Benin City, Edo State, on Thursday, where she was represented by the Director of Women Mobilisation of the APC Presidential Campaign Council, Dr Betta Edu.
Addressing thousands of women and party supporters, Edu conveyed the First Lady’s message of hope and confidence in the future of the country, declaring that the sacrifices Nigerians have endured during the implementation of the administration’s economic reforms would ultimately give way to prosperity.
She urged Nigerians, particularly women, not to lose faith in the ongoing transformation agenda of the Tinubu administration, expressing optimism that its policies would create greater economic opportunities, strengthen livelihoods and deliver shared prosperity across the country.
The First Lady’s message also placed strong emphasis on the strategic role of women in determining the country’s political future, calling on them to remain actively involved in the democratic process and mobilise support for the APC ahead of the January 16, 2027 presidential election.
In a decisive call for electoral vigilance, Edu charged women to take full responsibility for protecting their votes, urging them to arrive at their respective polling units as early as 7:00 a.m. on election day and remain there throughout the voting and counting processes until the results are officially declared.
She emphasised that women’s participation must go beyond casting their ballots, stressing that they should remain vigilant, monitor the counting of votes and ensure that the electoral process is conducted peacefully and in accordance with established guidelines.
According to her, the strength of democracy lies in the active participation of citizens, adding that women, who constitute a formidable force in grassroots mobilisation, must not allow their votes to be compromised through indifference or non-participation.
Edu reaffirmed the commitment of the APC Presidential Campaign Council’s Women Mobilisation Directorate to taking the Renewed Hope message to communities, wards and polling units across the country, noting that women would remain central to the party’s grassroots mobilisation efforts.
Beyond political mobilisation, the First Lady’s engagements in Edo State also featured a series of humanitarian and economic empowerment activities designed to demonstrate support for women and vulnerable members of society.
Through the Women Mobilisation Directorate, a grassroots roadshow and sensitisation campaign were organised to promote the Renewed Hope Agenda, deepen community engagement and encourage greater participation of women in governance and the electoral process.
A major highlight of the activities was an empowerment programme targeting 1,000 women, alongside the distribution of wrappers and other support packages aimed at providing relief and strengthening the social and economic wellbeing of beneficiaries.
The outreach also extended to hospitals, where assistance and solidarity were offered to sick, vulnerable and disadvantaged patients as part of efforts to reach individuals and families facing difficult circumstances.
Market women were equally beneficiaries of the initiative through business recapitalisation support intended to strengthen their petty trading activities, sustain small businesses and improve their capacity to contribute to household income and local economic development.
The interventions, championed by the First Lady and coordinated through the APC Presidential Campaign Council’s Women Mobilisation Directorate under Dr Betta Edu, reflect an approach that combines political engagement with grassroots empowerment and humanitarian support.
As the country approaches the 2027 general election, the Edo engagement underscores the growing importance of women in the APC’s mobilisation strategy, with the party seeking to translate grassroots support, economic empowerment initiatives and the Renewed Hope message into sustained political participation.
