The National Women Leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Dr Mary Alile Idele, has declared that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu must complete ‘two terms in office’ before handing power over to another region of the country.
Idele, who is also the National Coordinator of the Tinubu Torch Bearers (TTB), spoke in Akure, Ondo State, during the inauguration of the TTB structure in the state as part of efforts to mobilise support for President Tinubu ahead of the 2027 presidential election.
She said the APC would mobilise its supporters across the country to ensure that Tinubu secures a second term, stressing that the President’s eight-year tenure should be completed before any discussion about power rotation.
According to her, ‘4+4 is equal to eight,’ insisting that there was ‘no vacancy’ at the Presidential Villa ahead of the 2027 election.
Idele urged APC women in Ondo State to take the message of the Tinubu administration’s achievements to their homes and communities and mobilise voters at the grassroots.
The APC National Women Leader further said the TTB had already expanded its activities to more than 30 states, with the objective of building a strong grassroots network ahead of the election.
She challenged the women to secure more than 50 per cent support for Tinubu among female voters, urging them to translate their political structures into votes on Election Day.
‘This group (TTB) has gone into over 30 states and will be inaugurated. We need more than 50 per cent to deliver for the President. Go to your homes; tell your husband and your children that we are voting for President Tinubu in the 2027 election.
‘Tell them 4+4 is equal to eight and that there is ‘No vacancy’ in Aso Rock. I have said that the South-South must complete their eight years. President Tinubu must complete his tenure; after that, he can hand over to the North. We will win the coming election, and we shall re-elect President Tinubu.
‘So, there is no opposition. APC will win against the opposition in the country. How many are there that we can’t win? I’m asking, how many opposition do we have that we can’t win them in the election. We will win, and that is why I’m urging you to take this torch to your house and preach the message of Tinubu’s re-election,’ Idele said.
The Southwest Coordinator of the TTB, Princess Sandra Williams Oladele, said the group’s initiative focuses on grassroots mobilisation, women’s participation in politics, and communicating Tinubu’s administration’s Renewed Hope Agenda.
Oladele called on women in Ondo State to mobilise their husbands, children, and other household members to support Tinubu’s re-election bid.
She said the group was targeting 90 per cent support for Tinubu among voters in Ondo State and across the Southwest, urging the women to move beyond political gatherings and ensure their mobilisation efforts translated into votes.
‘We want to give Tinubu 90 per cent of the votes. Across the South-West, we, the women, are giving Baba 90 per cent. Make sure you come out en masse. Let us have 90 per cent of the votes for Tinubu in Ondo State,’ Oladele said.
The State Coordinator of the TTB, Erelu Modupe Martins, also urged members of the group to intensify grassroots mobilisation and ensure that the structures being created across the state translate into votes for the APC in 2027.
The Commissioner for Women Affairs and Social Development, Seun Osamaye, said women in the state had benefited from the programmes of the APC-led administration and urged them to remain committed to the party.
Osamaye said women should reciprocate the support they received by mobilising for the party and its candidates ahead of the 2027 elections.
She also said women were prepared to support Tinubu and other APC candidates, adding that their political structure must be converted into electoral strength.
‘It will be a sin against God if you don’t support this party in truth and indeed. This party has given women life. Under this party, women no longer beg. They have been positioned.
‘Our responsibility towards 2027 is simple: our structure must translate into votes. We, the women, have gathered to support President Tinubu,’ Osamaye added.
She lauded the wife of the governor, Oluwaseun Aiyedatiwa, for her support for women in the state, stressing that her support was tied to their perception of the empowerment and opportunities provided under the administration of Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa.
Earlier, Mrs Aiyedatiwa described the Tinubu Torch Bearers initiative as a platform for grassroots engagement, civic responsibility and political mobilisation.
She said the group represented the values of service, patriotism and empowerment, while expressing support for Tinubu’s re-election bid.
‘The objectives of this initiative are clear: to strengthen grassroots engagement, promote civic responsibility, and uphold the enduring values of integrity and excellence that define true leadership.
‘Our gathering today is a testament to the unwavering belief in the vision and leadership of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu GCFR,’ she said.
According to her, the President’s return to office would provide continuity for the reforms and programmes of his administration.
‘A man whose courage, foresight, and dedication have shaped the course of our democracy. His re-election bid represents continuity – continuity of reform, of progress, and of the promise of a Nigeria that works for all.’
Speaking at the event, Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa said women remained highly visible in his administration and acknowledged their contributions to governance and grassroots mobilisation.
Aiyedatiwa, represented by his Deputy, Dr Olayide Adelami, called on women, men and youths across the state to take the message of his administration’s programmes to every household.
He said the state was set to deliver an unprecedented electoral performance for President Tinubu in 2027.
‘This time around, we are going to do what is unprecedented. We expect to deliver over one million votes in Ondo State for President Tinubu,’ the governor said.
He called on all segments of the population to cooperate to ensure the administration’s message reached every community.
Aiyedatiwa added that his administration would continue to create opportunities for women, noting that their participation remained important to the state’s political and socio-economic development.