First Lady of Nigeria, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, has appealed to voters in the South-East to support the re-election of her husband, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, in the 2027 presidential election.

The First Lady said she wanted to enjoy a better Nigeria in her old age, adding that both she and the President were working to improve the country.

Mrs Tinubu made the appeal on Wednesday in Owerri, Imo State capital, during her official visit to the South-East to empower women.

“Make una vote for Mr President, we go work for una and Nigeria go better.

The First Lady said the empowerment programme was being implemented through the Office of the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Sustainable Development Goals, SDGs, and would benefit 18,500 women across the country when completed.

She said 500 women from each of the five South-East states would receive various items, including generators, industrial grinding machines, gas cylinders and ovens, to support their businesses.

However, she disclosed that Imo State Governor, Senator Hope Uzodimma, had provided additional empowerment items for 2,000 women in the state, bringing the total number of beneficiaries in Imo to 2,500.

In response to the governor’s gesture, Tinubu announced an additional N100,000 cash support for each beneficiary of the empowerment programme.

She said the initiative was designed to recognise the role of women in nation-building and economic development.

“Recognising the typical role women play in nation building, this is in line with the agenda of Mr President, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, which prioritises economic growth and sustainable development for all Nigerians, particularly women,” she said.

Tinubu urged the beneficiaries to use the resources judiciously to improve their livelihoods and support their families.

“Let it serve as a foundation for creating a better life for you and your family,” she said.

In his remarks, Governor Uzodimma commended the First Lady for her contributions to nation-building and her commitment to the welfare of Nigerians.

The governor said the people of Imo State appreciated what he described as the President’s performance and would support his re-election in 2027.

Uzodimma also commended the Federal Government for the empowerment programme, saying it was aimed at promoting the dignity and economic empowerment of women.

He said the people of Imo had observed the Federal Government’s infrastructural and developmental interventions in the state.

“Let him know that Imo people are happy with him, that we are happy with his performance. Let him know that he is doing very well, that we stand with him and that we deeply appreciate his resolute commitment to a stronger, more prosperous, safer and more united Nigeria,” Uzodimma said.

He pledged the support of the people of the state for President Tinubu in the 2027 election.

“I assure you that we will reciprocate this love. We will stand firmly behind our beloved President in January 2027. We will speak with one united, unequivocal voice to stand by those who have consistently stood by us,” he said.

The First Lady was also conferred with the chieftaincy title of Osodieme by the traditional institution in Imo State.

Peter Obi has said he never rejected an offer to become the running mate to former Vice President Atiku Abubakar.

Obi made the clarification while featuring in an interview on Arise Television.

Responding to a question on whether he had ruled out becoming Atiku’s running mate, Obi said no such offer had been presented to him.

“Who said that? No, nobody… There wasn’t even any party where that offer was on the table,” he said.

“Now, how do you say? You mean now? You mean this election, or are they offering it through you?

“No. I wasn’t even in a position where that was being offered and I refused.”

Obi’s comment comes amid ongoing political realignments ahead of the 2027 general elections, with opposition figures exploring possible alliances and coalition arrangements.

The National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Prof Nentawe Goshwe Yilwatda, has commenced a two-week vacation outside Nigeria as the ruling party intensifies preparations for the 2027 general elections.

Yilwatda’s vacation, according to a statement issued by his Special Adviser on Media and Information Strategy, Abimbola Tooki, is intended to provide the APC chairman with an opportunity to rest, rejuvenate and re-strategise ahead of what the party considers a crucial electoral period.

The statement said the vacation followed an “exceptionally demanding and eventful first year” of Yilwatda’s tenure as national chairman, during which he has been involved in extensive party engagements, consultations, travels and strategic activities.

According to the statement, the APC chairman will use the period to “rest, retool and further sharpen his strategic thinking” ahead of the 2027 general elections, which it described as a defining moment for the party and the Renewed Hope agenda of President Bola Tinubu.

Yilwatda assumed leadership of the ruling party with the task of strengthening its internal structures and improving its electoral competitiveness ahead of the next general elections.

The APC said that since assuming office, the national chairman had worked with the National Working Committee (NWC), governors, members of the National Assembly, state party structures, elected officials, stakeholders and party members across the country.

The party also listed the successful organisation and conclusion of its National Convention, strengthening of internal party structures and the conduct of primary elections at various levels among the achievements recorded under Yilwatda’s leadership.

It said the developments had further consolidated the APC’s position as “Nigeria’s leading political party and one of Africa’s largest and most formidable political organisations.”

The national chairman’s absence from the country, however, will not affect the day-to-day administration of the party, according to the statement.

“The National Chairman’s temporary absence from the country does not in any way affect the operations or functioning of the party, as the National Working Committee continues to discharge its responsibilities in accordance with the party’s constitution and established procedures,” the statement said.

The APC explained that the vacation was not a disengagement from party activities but an opportunity for Yilwatda to step away briefly from the intensity of his daily responsibilities and reflect on the challenges and tasks ahead.

“Far from being a disengagement from party affairs, the vacation provides the National Chairman with an opportunity to step back briefly from the intensity of day-to-day activities, recharge and reflect on the enormous responsibilities ahead,” it said.

The statement added that Yilwatda would also use the period to reflect on the next phase of the party’s development and put finishing touches to plans for an upcoming National Working Committee retreat.

The proposed retreat is expected to provide an avenue for members of the NWC to review the party’s activities, identify emerging challenges and formulate strategies for the months leading to the 2027 elections.

According to the APC, the retreat will also seek to strengthen coordination among members of the NWC and improve the party’s preparedness for the “demanding electoral season ahead.”

The party described the chairman’s decision to take a break as “timely and necessary”, given the sustained level of political and organisational activities since he assumed office.

“Leadership, especially at the level of a national political party, requires not only constant engagement but also periods of reflection, strategic assessment and renewal,” the statement said.

Yilwatda is expected to return to Nigeria at the end of the two-week vacation and resume his official engagements.

The APC chairman’s vacation comes as political parties and political actors begin positioning themselves ahead of the 2027 general elections, with the ruling party expected to defend its control of the Federal Government while seeking to retain and expand its influence across the states and National Assembly.

The APC said Yilwatda remains fully committed to the party and its objectives, stressing that his temporary absence would not disrupt the party’s operations.