By Emmanuel Aziken, Political Editor

The event was styled to project three years of people-focused representation for the people of Lagos West Senatorial District.

The woman who left several memorable legacies as First Lady in Nigeria’s most populous state, had seemingly relocated her magic wand to the National Assembly where her presence, passion and politics have now won her much regard.

With three bills for a rookie senator, Senator Remi Tinubu obviously could certainly not be categorised among the laggards in the 109-member Senate.

But on this day that she came to report her representation to constituents, Mrs. Tinubu had more than bills to report on. Mrs. Tinubu had made history for herself and family three years ago when she became the first wife to sit in the Nigerian Senate where her husband had earlier passed through.

The family of the National Leader of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Senator Bola Ahmed Tinubu, has earned a distinguished place in the polity as the only one to have produced a husband and wife as senators.

A year ago, the lady had shocked many at the same constituency briefing when she told those present to look beyond her seeming physique and privileges to see the other side as an agitator for the oppressed and the common man.

Challenged by a journalist that she spoke like a labour leader, she immediately retorted:

“I am a comrade. I said that this is the new face of labour, it is in the blood. I also came from the trenches,” she said with a force that belied the radiance and beauty not normally associated with the hard men and women of labour.

A year on at another constituency briefing at the same Rehoboth House, Yaba, Lagos, her constituency office, Mrs. Tinubu was the cynosure of all eyes as she opened up on her activities in the last legislative year.

Just as last year, she was surrounded by the high and low class in society who came to hear their senator articulate her stewardship.

Among the guests of the distinguished senator were the Lagos Central APC leader, Prince Oluyole Olusi; State Secretary of the APC, Eshinlokun Sanni; a former Minister of State for Defence, Chief Demola Seriki; former Commissioner for Finance in Lagos State, Wale Edun; Chairman of Yaba Local Council Development Area, LCDA, Jide Jimoh, among many others.

Bills

Being that bills are among the most easy reference points for the assessment of lawmakers, Mrs. Tinubu was quick to prove her mettle with the revelation of her sponsorship of three bills in her three years in the Senate.

The National Social Security Agency Bill, 2011; a bill for an Act to Amend the Labour Act, 2004, and for other matters; and the Lagos State Special Economic Assistance Bill, 2013 are the three bills which have all passed through the first reading.

It was remarkable that two of the bills sponsored by the senator had to do with labour, underscoring her self-description as the new face of labour.

Senator Tinubu has also sponsored two motions, notably, the Motion on Flood Disaster in Lagos and the motion on the urgent need to investigate the imminent collapse of the Third Mainland Bridge, Lagos.

Besides sponsorship of bills and motions, Senator Tinubu has also projected solutions to some of the problems of her constituents in Lagos Central through putting their needs in the Federal Government’s budget.

She said: “Also, through the Senate Committee on Education, additional resources were secured to rehabilitate some schools and provide three classroom blocks with toilet facilities. These are Jibowu Junior High School, Yaba (N21 million); Banjo Primary School, Otumara Ilogbo, Ebutte Metta (N20 million); Christ Cathedral Church Primary School, CMS, Lagos Island (N15 million); Teslim Elias Primary School, Oja Oba, Lagos Island (N15 million); Ansar-ud-deen Primary School, Okepopo, Lagos Island (N15 million); and Ire Akari Primary School in Orile, Apapa Iganmu (N15 million).

Projects

“Through the Universal Service Provision Fund, Aje Comprehensive High School in Yaba was supplied with 100 computers, one server, two laptops and 110 charging points.

In 2014, projects worth N61.5 million were proposed. Projects expected under the 2014 federal budget are the provision of three classroom blocks with VIP toilets and the supply of five sets of computers, UPS and printers to each of the following schools: Iponri Primary School, Iponri; St. Clementina Primary School, Mosalasi Bus Stop, Surulere; State Nursery/Primary School, Arakan Barracks, Apapa; and Union Baptist Primary School, Oja Oba, Isale Eko.”

Mrs. Tinubu, who as First Lady, set a new benchmark for spouses of governors through her New Era Foundation, a platform that she used in stirring the leadership potentials of secondary school children also brought comfort to admirers with the news that she had not abandoned winners of the One Day Governor that she conceived as First Lady.

Besides, as senator, she had also conceived a support scheme for tertiary school students with N100,000 annual support for 26 students selected for the scheme.

“Since the Post-Secondary School Scholarship Scheme, PSSS, was launched, 26 beneficiaries of four-year scholarships receive a N100,000 annually to support their education. The selection was made from 650 candidates. The remaining 624 applicants were given a one off N10,000 each to buy books,” she said.

Speaking on her mentorship of the selected students, she said:

“Before the commencement of each academic year, I meet the 26 students in an interactive mentoring session. They also attend leadership training at the New Era Youth Camp, NEYOCA in Kayetoro, Ibeju Lekki.

“We launched the Petty Traders Empowerment Capital Scheme, PETECS, and 650 beneficiaries were given N20,000 each to enhance their trades or businesses. The sponsorship of Senator Muniru Muse Under-12 boys and Under-15 girls was in continuation of a tournament introduced by my predecessor. We hadhosted and sponsored three tournaments since I assumed office as a senator,”she added.

“Since the Elderly Citizens Assistance Scheme, ECAS, was launched, it has been a yearly event. This was inspired by the Elderly Citizens Assistance Bill I initiated. A total of 1,300 beneficiaries drawn from the 13 LGAs/LCDAs in Lagos Central Senatorial District receive N10, 000 each with various gift items. In the 2013 edition, we introduced free health screening.”

“The Youth Empowerment and Skills Acquisition Scheme, YESAS, was initiated, under which 164 youths were trained in various vocational skills by experienced instructors (during three days and five days training programmes). A start-up kit worth N10,000 was given to each of them and N40,000 was also given to them in two instalments.

Free GCE forms

“Also, free GCE forms were distributed to 220 candidates during our Seventh Town Hall meeting on June 14, 2013, to enable them make up their results and fulfil their dreams of going to tertiary institutions.

Another 220 candidates will be given GCE forms for 2014 at our next Town Hall meeting on June 11.

Senator Tinubu’s touch is also not only with the academically inclined as she disclosed her support scheme for those not academically inclined who are captured under the Good Boys and Good Girls Empowerment Scheme.

“Under the Good Boys and Good Girls Empowerment Scheme, GBGES, N100,000 start-up capital was provided for 80 beneficiaries drawn from various parts of the state. This programme was introduced to give a second chance to unemployed and idle youths. Due to more pressure from those from my Senatorial District, another set of 11 beneficiaries were added to the list.”