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From Juliana Taiwo-Obalonye, Abuja
First Lady Oluremi Tinubu on Monday charged women leaders of the All Progressives Congress (APC) to focus on numbers, trust and grassroots mobilisation as the party positions itself for future elections, saying political success depends on sustained engagement with the people.
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.”
She said her own political experience showed that consistent outreach remains the foundation of electoral success.
Recalling her years in Lagos politics and the town hall meetings she held for eight straight years as a Senator of the Federal Republic, Mrs Tinubu said she remained committed to the grassroots long before her present office.
“I connect with the grassroots,” she said. “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.”
The First Lady 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,” she said. “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?”
Mrs. Tinubu also stressed the role of trust in political organisation, saying supporters must feel valued and included. She said leaders should build relationships that last beyond campaigns, adding that people respond positively when they know they are remembered and respected.
“You have to build trust and connection,” she said. “Once it’s not there, you can’t win.”
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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.
She also reflected on the importance of grassroots mentors, saying 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.
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.
“Politics is very, very sensitive,” she said. “People come to our homes even when we do invite them, but when they come, we treat them well; they are not trash.”
She closed by counselling women to balance public life and family. “You can do both,” she said. “I’ve played politics for 12 good years and I still have a husband.” She warned that social unrest often begins at home. “All this restlessness we are seeing around stems from the home. We have to make sure that our home is solid.”
The First Lady said the Tinubu administration has achieved significant progress in the last three years and expressed optimism that Nigeria’s future will continue to improve through ongoing reforms and infrastructure development.
She insisted that the APC must remain grounded among ordinary Nigerians if it wants to sustain its political gains.
Earlier, the APC National Women Leader, Mary Idele, praised Mrs Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Initiative and said the party’s women’s wing remains one of the strongest mobilisation networks in the country. She 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.
Idele 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 handed over eight buses to APC Women leaders from different zones of the country.
