First Lady Senator Oluremi Tinubu has urged women leaders of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) to prioritise grassroots mobilisation and trust-building, stressing that political success depends on numbers rather than gender.
Speaking while hosting APC women leaders from across the country at the State House in Abuja on Monday, Mrs Tinubu said politicians must remain connected to their constituents if they hope to sustain electoral victories.
“Politics is not about gender; it’s about number. If you don’t connect with the grassroots, you can’t win their trust,” she said.
The First Lady emphasised that political leadership goes beyond winning elections, noting that office holders must maintain strong relationships with the people who elected them.
She cited her experience as a former senator, recalling that she organised quarterly town hall meetings throughout her eight years in the Senate to maintain direct engagement with constituents.
“I connect with the grassroots. I am still the only woman on record who has ever done town hall meeting every quarter. I did that consecutively for good eight years,” she said.
Mrs Tinubu warned that many politicians lose relevance after assuming office because they become disconnected from the people.
“You have to connect with them. If I find it difficult to reach out to you as an office holder, how do you want your constituents to reach out to you?” she asked.
She also highlighted the importance of trust in political organisation, urging party leaders to build lasting relationships with supporters.
“You have to build trust and connection. Once it’s not there, you can’t win,” she said.
The First Lady further called for deliberate and structured political mobilisation at the grassroots, urging the APC women’s wing to intensify voter education and sensitisation efforts.
“Politics is very, very sensitive. People come to our home even when we do invite them, but when they come, we treat them well, they are not trash,” she said.
Mrs Tinubu also advised women in politics to balance public responsibilities with family life.
“You can do both. I’ve played politics for 12 good years and I still have a husband. Take care of your children, train them well.
“All this restlessness we are seeing around stems from the home. We have to make sure that our home is solid,” she added.
Earlier, APC National Women Leader Mary Alile Idele commended the First Lady’s Renewed Hope Initiative and described the party’s women’s wing as one of the strongest mobilisation structures in the country.
She said women leaders across the 36 states, the Federal Capital Territory, local governments and wards had remained central to the party’s electoral successes.
According to Idele, the emergence of newly elected state and zonal women leaders reflects growing confidence in women’s leadership and strengthens the APC’s grassroots structure ahead of future elections.
The event also featured the presentation of eight buses by the First Lady to APC women leaders from different zones of the country.
Deji Elumoye
