By Joseph Ede

First Lady of Nigeria, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, on Saturday flagged off the South-East Women Mega Empowerment and the All Progressives Congress’ Women Mobilisation Directorate’s campaign across the six geopolitical zones, saying the worst was over, as Nigeria was now stepping into prosperity flowing from President Bola Tinubu’s economic reforms.

The rally, which climaxed with the distribution of empowerment materials such as sewing machines, food processors, electricity generating sets and popcorn machines to women drawn from the five states of the region to support their economic activities and small-scale businesses, also attracted the presence of women leaders and members of the party from Enugu, Abia, Ebonyi, Imo and Anambra states.

Wife of the Vice President, Hajiya Nana Shettima, Governors Peter Mbah of Enugu State, Hope Uzodimma of Imo State and Francis Nwifuru of Ebonyi State, as well as the Deputy Governor of Anambra State, Dr. Onyekachukwu Ibezim, were also in attendance at the rally, which took place at Okpara Square, Enugu.

Addressing the women, the First Lady, Senator Tinubu, conveyed President Tinubu’s goodwill message and urged Nigerians not to be discouraged by the economic challenges associated with the President’s reforms, insisting that the country was moving towards prosperity.

She likened the process to childbirth, noting that although the period of labour could be painful, it ultimately led to delivery.

“Mr. President said I should greet everyone. We have done reforms and we are now in prosperity. Don’t allow anyone to deceive you. The worst is over. We are stepping into prosperity,” she said.

The First Lady described the empowerment initiative as an indication of the APC government’s commitment to translating its promises into practical interventions, noting that the party was combining political mobilisation with economic support.

She expressed appreciation to the people of the South-East for their reception and support, recalling that she had visited the region several times since her husband’s assumption of office.

Senator Tinubu also announced additional empowerment programmes for women and elderly persons in Enugu State, promising that on December 3, APC senatorial candidates would be provided with funds to empower 250 women each with ₦200,000 to establish businesses.

She further announced an empowerment programme for 250 elderly persons scheduled for December 17, explaining that the beneficiaries must be aged 65 and above.

According to her, each of the two interventions would cover 750 beneficiaries across the three senatorial districts of Enugu State.

The First Lady urged the women to mobilise support for President Tinubu and APC candidates in the forthcoming 2027 general elections, asking them to hold political aspirants accountable for their records of empowerment and development interventions.

In his remarks, Governor Mbah, while welcoming the First Lady, acknowledged the contributions of women to families, communities and national development.

He said the rally was designed to empower more than 5,000 women across the South-East, adding that her office had, within the preceding 48 hours, supported more than 2,000 Enugu women through cash assistance, payment of hospital bills and the provision of tools to enable them to establish and expand businesses.

Mbah said the initiative went beyond political mobilisation, stressing that its central objective was to transform women into wealth creators rather than keeping them dependent on periodic handouts.

The governor also linked his administration’s development milestones to the economic reforms of the Federal Government, particularly the increased resources available to states through federation allocations.

He cited the construction of Smart Green Schools and primary healthcare centres across the state as examples of projects being implemented with the increased resources.

Mbah urged the women to support Tinubu’s continuation in office, arguing that the country would not abandon an ongoing journey because of temporary challenges.

“A good sailor does not abandon his ship mid-sea because of challenges. So, we must finish the journey we all started together,” he said.

He further urged the South-East electorate to participate in the forthcoming elections, describing the Igbo as a people whose economic and social engagements extend beyond their geographical region.

“We are not a people that are ethnic by nature. We are a people that are strategic,” Mbah said, calling for support for President Tinubu and APC candidates.

Also speaking, the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Benjamin Kalu, said the South-East would not accept a proposed four-year presidential tenure arrangement for a President of Igbo extraction.

He insisted that the region must seek an eight-year tenure when it eventually produces the nation’s president and called on the people of the South-East to support Tinubu’s re-election bid come 2027.

Kalu said President Tinubu had demonstrated commitment to addressing longstanding concerns of the South-East, particularly through the establishment of the South-East Development Commission (SEDC), adding that the post-civil war promise of the three Rs — Rehabilitation, Reconstruction and Reconciliation — had yet to receive the full implementation of the commitments until the establishment of the commission under the Tinubu administration.

He also cited the President’s appointments of people from the South-East into his cabinet and other federal initiatives as indications of his administration’s engagement with the region.

According to Uzodimma, increased allocations from the Federation Account had also provided state governments with greater resources to execute development projects, and he urged the people of the region to support President Tinubu’s re-election bid and other APC candidates in the 2027 general elections.

Similarly, Governor Nwifuru said the APC’s central political objective was to secure a second term for President Tinubu, urging party members and supporters to work towards achieving that goal.

“We have a project and that project is our party, the APC. Our project is how to deliver the President for a second term,” he said.

The rally was marked by the presentation of empowerment equipment to women from across the five South-East states, alongside calls by party leaders for increased political mobilisation ahead of the 2027 general elections.

Other dignitaries included the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Benjamin Okezie Kalu; wife of the Senate President, Mrs. Uloma Akpabio; Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Dr. Doris Uzoka-Anite; Minister of Innovation, Science and Technology, Dr. Kingsley Udeh (SAN); and Minister of Women Affairs and Social Development, Hajiya Imaan Sulaiman-Ibrahim.

Also present were the APC Deputy National Chairman (South), Dr. Ben Nwoye; National Women Leader of the APC and Director-General of the Women Wing of the Presidential Campaign Council, Dr. Mary Alile-Idele; South-East Zonal Woman Leader of the APC, Dr. Oby Ajih; members of the National and State Assemblies, local government chairmen and other party stakeholders.

By George Mgbeleke
The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has described the Federal Government’s sudden announcement of a N50,000 monthly cash relief as an election gimmick, driven by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s desperation rather than any genuine concern for millions of suffering Nigerians thrown into hardship by the government’s own cruel economic policies.

In a statement signed by Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, the National Publicity Secretary of the party, the ADC said the timing of the announcement raises serious questions about the government’s motives, claiming that the intervention is only a panic reaction by the Tinubu government to the opposition party’s promise to reduce the cost of living and to make life more affordable for Nigerians if it comes into power in next year’s general election.

“President Tinubu is in full panic mode now. Since the ADC and our Presidential Candidate, Atiku Abubakar, have made affordability and reducing the cost of living the cardinal focus of our campaign, the government has been announcing one desperate intervention or another. In August, they announced a $1 billion so-called ‘Renewed Hope Social Intervention Fund’. But it was only an announcement, nothing more. Then, they announced a 30-day fuel discount, which made no sense. Then they announced the so-called cheaper transportation by October 1 across the states. Again, nothing happened. They have also announced a N70,000 transportation allowance to workers. Now, it is N50,000 for everyone. They are just thrashing around, hoping that something would stick,” Abdullahi said.

The ADC questioned what meaningful relief N50,000 could provide to an average Nigerian household under the prevailing economic conditions.

“What exactly is N50,000 supposed to buy in Tinubu’s Nigeria today? How much food can a family purchase with that amount? How much transport can it cover? And for how long? Petrol prices have risen roughly sevenfold. Food and transportation costs have followed, not to talk of the cost of basic drugs. It is just a desperate and cynical attempt to buy back the goodwill of the people. But it is too little, too late,” the party said.

The ADC said the Tinubu administration had the chance to address the underlying causes of poverty in the country but failed to do so.

“They mismanaged their own economic reforms. Everyone warned them that what they were doing and how they were doing it would only make life difficult for the people. Their only reaction for three years was to tell the people to continue to endure. If they could give N50,000 to vulnerable Nigerians, why didn’t they factor it into reform plans from day one rather than make it an election-season handout? It’s either they didn’t think of it, which makes them dangerously incompetent, or they simply chose to leave the people to suffer and wait for the election to throw them crumbs, which makes them dangerously wicked.”

The ADC also warned that programmes such as the announced intervention fund have been characterised by a lack of accountability, which poses the real risk that this could be another opportunity for diverting public funds. The party recalled a recent report by the Auditor-General that raises questions over similar funds under the Tinubu government.

“What has happened to the findings of the Auditor-General concerning the billions of naira in previous cash transfers that could not be properly accounted for? Have those responsible been held accountable? How can a government that has failed to explain what happened to its previous intervention funds expect Nigerians to trust it with another programme involving billions of naira?”

The party warned that, given the history of social intervention programmes under this administration, the latest initiative raises legitimate concerns about transparency and the possible diversion of public resources for partisan purposes.

“At best, this is an election gimmick designed to deceive Nigerians into believing that a government which has neglected them for more than three years suddenly cares about their welfare. At worst, it could become another scheme to siphon public funds under the convenient cover of poverty alleviation.”

The ADC maintained that the solution to Nigeria’s cost-of-living crisis lies in restoring purchasing power, reducing the cost of food, energy and transportation.

By Tony Nwafor,Abuja

Barely 70 days to presidential election,Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, (FCT) Mr Nyesom Wike has declared that neither the Former Vice President and Presidential Candidate of the African Democratic Congress ADC, Atiku Abubakar or Former Rivers State governor, Rotimi Amaechi are worthy and credible to serves as alternative to President Bola Tinubu in forthcoming 2027 general elections.

Hon Rotimi Amaechi

Justifying his insinuation , Wike argued that going with not guite good of Atiku Abubakar’s record while in office as Vice-President couple with the testimony of his boss,President Olusegun Obasanjo, his renewed presidential ambition in the in the coming elections need to be critically examined by Nigerian electorates.

For Rotimi Amaechi, Wike also disclosed that his entry into the African Democratic Congress ADC as vice presidential candidate had complicated the party’s presidential ticket.

The FCT minister made the remarks on Thursday during a Rainbow Coalition meeting in Oyigbo Local Government Area of Rivers State, where he challenged Atiku to account for his eight years as vice-president under former President Olusegun Obasanjo between 1999 and 2007.

Wike, who said he had contested a presidential primary against Atiku, questioned the impact of the former vice-president’s time in office, particularly his role in the federal government’s privatisation programme.

“Atiku was vice-president from 1999 to 2007. How many years? He was not just a vice-president, but a very powerful vice-president. He was in charge of privatisation and everything concerning companies and industries owned by the government,” Wike said.

He asked Nigerians to examine Atiku’s record rather than focus solely on his repeated attempts to become president, insisting that his performance in public office should form part of the debate over his 2027 ambition.

“Can anybody tell me, do you see the impact of Atiku Abubakar? No!” he asked.

Wike also invoked Obasanjo’s past criticism of his former deputy, referring to the former president’s reported expression of regret over supporting Atiku’s emergence as vice-president.

The minister argued that Obasanjo’s assessment of their relationship should be considered in evaluating Atiku’s political record.

He urged political stakeholders to scrutinise the records of those seeking the presidency and avoid making decisions based solely on emotion or political affiliations.

Wike further questioned the justification for presenting Atiku and Amaechi as a credible alternative ahead of the 2027 election, directing attention to projects and financial transactions during Amaechi’s eight-year administration as Rivers governor from 2007 to 2015.

He cited the alleged expenditure of $10 million on a mosquito-control programme, $39 million on a proposed specialist hospital and N68 billion on a monorail project, demanding explanations about the outcomes of the initiatives.

The minister also questioned the handling of proceeds from the reported sale of a gas turbine, which he said took place in December 2014 for $308 million.

“Where is the $308 million? Where is the $39 million? Where is the N68 billion? And where is the $10 million for fumigation?” Wike asked, challenging the former governor to account for the transactions.

The allegations formed part of Wike’s broader argument that Nigerians should scrutinise the records of political officeholders before entrusting them with higher responsibilities. The claims were made by the minister at the political meeting and were not independently established by the statements provided.

He urged political stakeholders to examine the promises and performance of aspirants rather than be swayed by campaign rhetoric, insisting that the country’s leadership choices should be informed by accountability.

Earlier, in his welcome address, the Zonal Director of the Post Primary Schools Board, Chimereze Nworgo, said the people of Ogbia Local Government Area had not forgotten the security and infrastructure interventions associated with Wike’s tenure as Rivers governor.

Nworgo cited the construction of the Ogbia-Nembe Road, improved connectivity, the establishment of a model secondary school and recognition of traditional institutions as some of the interventions appreciated by the community.

He also commended Wike’s role in supporting the political representation of Ogbia indigenes at the national level, including Ambassador Desmond Eji Akawu.

While reaffirming the community’s political support for Wike, Nworgo appealed for further interventions in road construction and rehabilitation, a general hospital, renovation of dilapidated schools, youth employment and empowerment, and more political appointments for Ogbia indigenes at state and federal levels.

He said the community’s endorsement did not suggest that all its development needs had been met, but reflected its willingness to sustain engagement with the former governor in pursuit of its aspirations.

The chairman of Oyigbo Local Government Area, Okechukwu Akara Nwaogu, also presented a gift to Wike on behalf of the council, in recognition of his position as minister and leader of the Rainbow Coalition.