Former First Lady, Dame Patience Jonathan, has called on opposition figures to allow President Bola Tinubu to complete his second tenure, declaring that she will campaign alongside First Lady Senator Oluremi Tinubu for the re-election of her husband in the 2027 general elections.
Speaking at an award ceremony in Abuja, where she received the Women Icon Leader of the Year award from Accolade Dynamics Limited, Jonathan stressed the importance of rotational leadership for national unity, describing it as a “turn-by-turn” approach that ensures stability.
Reflecting on her longstanding relationship with Remi Tinubu, Jonathan said, “I didn’t just know her (Senator Oluremi Tinubu) just because she’s the First Lady, no. We worked together. We worked as a group… I have a conscience. I cannot abandon my friend, whether you like it or not.”
Jonathan also praised the support the Tinubus extended to her and her husband, former President Goodluck Jonathan, during their 2011 presidential bid, recalling, “Even when my husband was the vice president, Oluremi stood with her husband and supported us during our first election. They supported us.”
Reaffirming her commitment to Remi Tinubu’s campaign, she added, “I’m not running. I’m not going back to the villa. If you call me, I will not go.”
Jonathan also used the occasion to advocate for the 35 per cent affirmative action for women in governance, lamenting the repeated rejection of gender equality bills by the National Assembly.
In her acceptance speech, Jonathan dedicated the award to the collective efforts of women and men working to improve the health and economic well-being of Nigerian women, highlighting the impact of her NGOs, the Aurora Richard Foundation and Women for Change and Development Initiative.
