Nigeria’s First Lady, Oluremi Tinubu has urged women leaders of the All Progressives Congress (APC) to focus on numbers, trust and grassroots mobilisation as the party positions itself for future elections.
Speaking at the Presidential Villa during a meeting with APC women leaders from across the country, Mrs. Tinubu said politics is fundamentally about building support at the base, earning trust and keeping voters connected to their leaders.
She said “women in politics must not lose touch with the people who put them in office.”
“Politics is not about gender; it’s about numbers,” the First Lady said. “If you don’t connect with the grassroots, you can’t win their trust,” the First Lady said.
She said her own political experience showed that consistent outreach remains the foundation of electoral success.
Recalling her days in Lagos politics and the town hall meetings she held for 12 consecutive years as a Senator, Mrs. Tinubu said she remained committed to the grassroots long before her present office.
“I connect with the grassroots. I am still the only woman on record who has ever done a town hall meeting every quarter,” she stated.
Mrs Tinubu said political office holders must go beyond winning elections and must continue to relate with their constituents after victory. She warned that many politicians lose relevance once they assume office because they abandon the people who supported them.
“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.
Mrs. Tinubu also stressed the role of trust in political organisations, saying supporters must feel valued and included.
She encouraged leaders to build relationships that last beyond campaigns, stressing that people respond positively when they know they are remembered and respected.
“You have to build trust and connection…Once it’s not there, you can’t win,” she said.
The First Lady told the women that political mobilisation must be deliberate and structured, especially at the grassroots where elections are won and lost. She said the APC women’s wing should continue to strengthen its base through local engagement, voter education and persistent outreach.
The wife of the President also reflected on the importance of grassroots mentors, explaining that political growth often depends on leaders who understand local structures and can guide younger politicians.
According to her, political mentorship helps women navigate party systems and remain effective after elections.
The First Lady said Tinubu’s administration has achieved significant progress in the last three years and expressed optimism that Nigeria’s future would continue to improve through ongoing reforms and infrastructure development.
Mrs. Tinubu said she was encouraged by the commitment of APC women and urged them to keep translating that strength into votes, loyalty and community influence.
She said the party must continue to rely on organised grassroots structures if it is to remain competitive.
The First Lady insisted that the APC must remain grounded among ordinary Nigerians if it wants to sustain its political gains.
The APC National Women Leader, Dr Mary Idele, praised Mrs. Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Initiative and said the party’s women’s wing remains one of the strongest mobilization networks in the country.
Dr Idele said women leaders across the 36 states, the Federal Capital Territory, local governments, wards and polling units have remained central to the APC’s electoral success.
She said “the emergence of newly elected state and zonal women leaders shows growing confidence in women’s leadership and strengthens the party’s grassroots structure ahead of future contests.”
The First Lady later donated an eater seater bus each, to the office of the National APC Women leader, her deputy as well as the six geo political zones of the country, for use by the women wing of the APC in the zones.
She also appealed to the 36 State Governors to provide a vehicle to the APC women leaders of their States.
 to focus on numbers, trust...){kind=link}