First Lady Oluremi Tinubu appealed to voters in Nigeria’s South-East to support the re-election of her husband, President Bola Tinubu, in the 2027 presidential election during an empowerment programme in Owerri, Imo State, on Wednesday, September 9, 2026.
Oluremi Tinubu said she wanted to see Nigeria become a better country as she grows older, linking her appeal for another term for the President to what she described as a shared commitment to the country’s development.
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“Make una vote for Mr President, we go work for una and Nigeria go better,” the First Lady told women and other participants during the event.
Oluremi Tinubu added that her personal motivation was also connected to her desire to enjoy the benefits of a more prosperous Nigeria later in life.
“I want to enjoy Nigeria at old age, so I will work for Nigeria, for my old age,” she said.
The First Lady was speaking during an official visit to the South-East as part of a women-focused empowerment initiative being implemented through the Office of the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Sustainable Development Goals.
The programme is expected to reach 18,500 women across Nigeria when fully implemented, according to Oluremi Tinubu.
In the South-East, 500 women from each of the five states are expected to benefit, bringing the regional figure to 2,500 beneficiaries.
The beneficiaries are set to receive equipment intended to support small businesses and improve household livelihoods.
The items include generators, industrial grinding machines, gas cylinders and ovens.
The initiative places women’s economic empowerment at the centre of the First Lady’s appeal, with the equipment designed to help recipients strengthen existing businesses or develop new income-generating activities.
Oluremi Tinubu’s visit to Owerri also carries political significance as the 2027 presidential election approaches.
The South-East has traditionally been a politically competitive region, with voters in the five states often expressing strong preferences around questions of representation, inclusion and federal development.
President Bola Tinubu secured comparatively limited support across much of the region during the 2023 presidential election, making the South-East an important area for any effort to broaden his support ahead of 2027.
The First Lady’s appeal therefore goes beyond the distribution of empowerment materials.
It represents part of the administration’s wider effort to strengthen its relationship with communities and voters in a region where political sentiment will be closely watched as the next election approaches.
Her message was framed in personal and conversational terms rather than as a formal campaign speech.
By speaking about wanting to “enjoy Nigeria at old age”, Oluremi Tinubu connected her political appeal to a human desire for a more stable and prosperous country in the years ahead.
The remarks also reflected the First Lady’s emphasis on women’s participation in economic development.
Rather than presenting the empowerment programme solely as welfare assistance, the initiative is intended to provide practical tools that can help women earn income and expand their businesses.
The scale of the planned intervention is notable, with 18,500 women expected to benefit nationally and thousands receiving equipment intended to support commercial activities.
Whether such programmes will translate into broader political support remains a question for the 2027 campaign.
For now, Oluremi Tinubu is presenting the administration’s development efforts as part of a longer-term project, while asking South-East voters to give President Bola Tinubu another opportunity to lead the country.
Her appeal comes as political parties and emerging alliances begin positioning themselves for the 2027 contest, with economic conditions, regional representation and the impact of government policies likely to shape voter sentiment.
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For the First Lady, the message in Owerri was ultimately both political and personal: support the President, allow the administration to continue its work, and help build the Nigeria she hopes to enjoy in her later years.
Quadri Olaitan is a journalist and contributor to Freelanews.com, covering news, public affairs, and human-interest stories.
