Former First Lady, Dame Patience Jonathan, has publicly declared her support for the re-election of President Bola Tinubu in 2027 elections, pledging to campaign alongside the current First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu.
Speaking in Abuja on Saturday night after receiving the Women Icon Leader of the Year award from Accolade Dynamics Limited, Mrs Jonathan dismissed speculations that her husband, former President Goodluck Jonathan, might contest the 2027 presidential election. Instead, she emphasised her personal decision to back the Tinubus, citing long-standing friendship and mutual respect.
“I didn’t just know her (Oluremi Tinubu) because she’s the First Lady, no. We worked together. We worked as a group. We worked when I was a deputy governor’s wife. We worked when I was a governor’s wife,” Mrs Jonathan said.
She recounted how Senator Remi supported her family politically in the past, particularly during Goodluck Jonathan’s rise to the presidency. “Even when my husband was the Vice President, Oluremi stood with her husband and supported us during our first election. They supported us. So, for me, I have a conscience. I cannot abandon my friend, whether you like it or not.”
The former First Lady made it clear that she had no desire to return to the State House, insisting she preferred the peace and rest she currently enjoys outside of political office.
“I’m not running. I’m not going back to the villa. If you call me, I will not go,” she declared. “I say it every day. Don’t you like how young I look? People say, ‘Mama, you are young, you are young!’ It is because I have rest of mind, yes. I don’t want to go there, let my friend be there.”
Emphasising the natural order of political succession, she added: “Because you see, this is turn by turn. Today is my turn, I will go. Tomorrow, it will be another person’s turn, then we go. And when we go, will we still meet? Where will we meet? I don’t know.”
Mrs Jonathan’s open endorsement of the Tinubu administration came as a surprise to many political observers, especially given her prominent role in the opposition People’s Democratic Party (PDP) during her husband’s presidency.
Meanwhile, Doofan Chizaram TOR, MD of Accolade Dynamics Ltd, described the company as an event management and consultancy firm focused on trade, investment, and skills development in Africa.
“Yellow Ball and Honours is a night to celebrate leaders who have built our communities and inspired others,” she said. “Women are the backbone of the country. We honour those men and women who have uplifted society through coaching, skills, and confidence building.”
Her message to women: “Build your inner beauty. Work on your intelligence. Read books. You can be brains and beauty. Just keep pushing forward. Nothing is impossible.”
Minister of Women Affairs, Hajiya Imaan Sulaiman-Ibrahim, has said that the award is a testament to women’s growing contributions across every sector in Nigeria, affirming that the current administration is committed to closing gender gaps and strengthening women’s inclusion in leadership and development.
“These awards represent the contributions of women across every sector in the country. We are leading from the centre, and where there are gaps or lapses, we will work to strengthen them.”
“When you dream big, big things happen. We must continue to celebrate excellence and contribute meaningfully to national development. That is what President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration is all about.”
Also speaking at the event, wife of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Mrs Regina Akume, expressed her appreciation for the recognition, describing it as a touching moment of acknowledgement while still alive.
“I feel great, wonderful, and thankful for the recognition—especially coming from someone I know well. Her Excellency, former First Lady Dame Patience Jonathan, said so many glowing things about me. Often, people wait until you are gone before they say nice things. I’m alive, and she said them. That means a lot to me,” Akume said.
She used the platform to appeal to Nigerian youth to embrace education, patience, and self-reliance amid economic challenges.
“To the youth out there: go to school. If you are educated and can’t find a job, learn a trade. Be creative. There’s so much you can do. I can sew my curtains, make bed sheets, and even plant flowers at home. These are useful skills that can become livelihoods,” she said.
Akume urged young people to be patient with the present government, expressing optimism that things would improve with time.
“My advice is simple: if you can’t find a man to take care of you, take care of yourself. Be a responsible citizen, a woman who a man can admire and respect. Education, dignity, and hard work are the way forward,” she added.
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