… One term presidency not good for Ndigbo, Says Dep Speaker, Kalu
…Mbah, Uzodinma, Nwifuru, Soludo insist on President Tinubu’s Second Term
Nigeria’s First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, esterday empowered 5,000 vulnerable women across the five states of the Southeast zone, saying that Nigeria is now at the verge of reaping prosperity after passing through a painful season of reforms.
Speaking at the mega empowerment and campaign rally of Southeast APC women held on Saturday October 31, 2026 at Okpara Square Enugu, Mrs Tinubu enjoined Nigerians to keep faith with President Tinubu and APC government to complete his promise of leading Nigeria to prosperity.
Mrs Tinubu said that the painful phase of the reform programme of the Tinubu administration was over and Nigeria is now stepping into the prosperity phase, which is the ultimate goal of the agenda.
Using the analogy of a pregnant woman in labour, the First Lady noted that labour pains was always painful but the eventual birth of the expected child would bring joy, adding that the worse is over for Nigeria iand the country is now “pushing into prosperity”.
She warned against anything that would derail the ongoing march to prosperity, saying that President Tinubu should be voted in to complete a second term in office so that prosperity would be fully realised.
“Have you seen people dey campaign dey do empowerment? So you are now seeing what APC government is all about. We no dey talk, talk, talk, talk alone. Na talk and do we dey,” she said in pidgin English.
The First Lady specially appealed to the Southeast zone to translate the love they have shown her by voting enmass for President Tinubu come January 16, 2027, saying that “we expect a very big polling” in the presdential election.
She said that for almost four years now, “we’ve been working, canvassing (for support) everywhere in the Southeast, adding that in the course of her several visits to the zone, she had been conferred with chieftaincy titles in Enugu, Imo, Abia, and Anambra States.
Mrs Tinubu announced that more empowerments would be done in the Southeast alongside the ongoing electioneering, saying specifically that on December 3, 2026 people with disabilities would be empowered in all the senatorial zones, as a way of marking the 2026 World Disability Day.
According to her, funds would be provided for all the APC senatorial candidates to carry out the empowerments, adding that 250 persons would per senatorial zone would be empowered, making a total of 750 per state.
She waid that each beneficiary would receive between N200, 000 and N250,000 to grow their small scale businesses, adding that “we no believe say anybody no fit do business”, disability notwithstanding.
Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt Hon Benjamin Kalu in his remarks, stated that Ndigbo have no reason not to stand with President Tinubu at the forthcoming presidential poll given the love he has shown to the Southeast zone.
“For now, our mandate is to support the man that has been supporting us. This man has not hidden his love for Igbo,” Kalu declared, adding that it took the the Tinubu preside cy to end the marginalisation of Ndi Igbo since after the civil war ended in 1970.
“I need to remind you,” he told the huge crowd at the rally, “that after the civil war, we waited for 60 years for a promise that was made to the people of Igboland that was not kept. The 3R they taught us in government – reconciliation, reconstruction, reintegration – Government after government, they ignored us.
“Administration after administration, they ignored the Igbos. And we were waiting, when would the Messiah come to save the Igbo. Then came a man who loved Igbos from his heart.
“Southeast Development Commission has been going to the parliament from year to year, and from (National) Assembly to Assembly, they refused to sign it. But when Tinubu came, South East Development Commission became a commission under the law”.
Four out of the five Southeast governors were at the event in solidarity with the First Lady and APC women of Southeast, urging the people of the zone not to be found wanting in the renewal of Tinubu’s mandate.
He scoffed at the quest for Igbo presidency at this point in time, saying a single term presidency would not in any way benefit the Southeast zone given that other zones had done between six and eight years.
The host, Governor Peter Mbah, said that Ndigbo have made up their mind to vote for President Tinubu and all the APC candidates because “we are not ethnic bigots” and Tinubu’s presidency has been very beneficial to the Southeast zone.
“We are not going to listen to any voice. Those voices telling us a different thing. We the Igbo have gone to communities outside our zone to build businesses. And we also know how to build relationships.
“And that has been put to test. We’re not a people that are ethnic bigots. We’re a people that are strategic. And that is why we must all come out. Come out in our numbers and support Mr. President to continue the good work. Support all our APC candidates to ensure that they are returned,” he said.
Mbah stated that the empowerment of 5,000 vulnerable women “is very important because we recognize that when you empower a woman, you strengthen the family. When you empower a woman, you build a strong community”.
He said the Tinubu reforms agenda as opened a new vista of prosperity for Nigerians hence the could not afford to abandon the journey half way when the benefits of the reforms are already appearing in the horizon.
“I’m sure you are seeing that future unfold gradually through the bold and courageous reforms of Mr. President. It is through those reforms that enough money has been made available to all the states,” he said.
The Chairman of the Progressive Governors, and Imo State Governor, Senator Hope Uzodinma, stressed the need for Tinubu to be supported to continue in office for another four years, saying that the bold reforms of Mr. President has placed the nation on the right path to prosperity.
He said that the reforms have it possible for Mr. President to enhance the resources flowing to the subationals, saying that the effects have been outstanding, citing the infrastructural projects he has executed in his state.
Both Ebonyi State Governor, Francis Nwifuru and his Anambra State counterpart, Prof. Charles Soludo, represented by his Deputy, Dr Onyekachukwu Ibezim spoke in similar tone, urging Ndigbo to vote for Tinubu and all APC candidates.
Nwifuru insisted that “the only project we have is Tinubu”, adding that the Rainbow Coalition has nothing to do with them as “we will vote all APC candidates”.
The First Lady was accompanied by the wife of the Vice President, Mrs. Nana Shettima, wife of Senate President, Mrs. Uloma Akpabio, among others.
