AHEAD of the presidential election slated for February 25, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, wife of the Presidential Candidate of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, last week, held a town hall meeting with women in Kano State where she unveiled her husband’s plan for Nigerians, particularly women and children.There was a free flow of souls. The women told the candidate’s wife what they would want Tinubu to do for them if he is elected president.

It was a gathering of women. Senator Oluremi Tinubu, wife of the presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, invited them for a town hall meeting.

The prominent and the reclusive, the rich and the poor, the able and the physically challenged, wives, spinsters and breastfeeding mothers were all present.

The women, drawn from the 44 local government councils of Kano State, were led by the trio of the Kano State First Lady Prof. Hafsat Abdullahi Umar Ganduje (chief host), the state APC Women Leader, Hajia Fatima Abdullahi Dala, and the Treasurer, Yardada Maikano Bichi.

The queen of the day, Sen. Oluremi Tinubu, arrived at the Aminu Kano International Airport to a rousing welcome and was driven straight to the palace of the Emir of Kano, Alhaji Aminu Ado Bayero.

“I am in Kano to engage women and inform them of what Tinubu and Shettima will prioritise, if elected.
“I wish to thank you for the love and support you have given to my husband. Kano is the second home of the Tinubus. Forty years ago, I stayed a whole year in Kano,” she told the monarch while paying homage.

She unveiled education, health, agriculture, security, commerce and entrepreneurship training for women as cardinal agenda of the APC, stating that women, children and other Nigerians will benefit when the sectors are reformed.

The emir of Kano told Mrs Tinubu that he too is an advocate of women inclusion in politics.

“Women play a major positive role in politics; their involvement in politics will better the development of the nation. This is because they have important role to play in the growth and progress of Nigeria’s democracy. I believe women will always gain the opportunity to occupy positions of leadership, through credible and peaceful elections,” he said, commending Senator Oluremi Tinubu for the visit.

From the emir’s palace, the next port of call was the commodious Coronation Hall of Government House, Kano.

Accompanied Tinubu’s wife to the event were wife of Katsina state governor, Hajiya Nana Kashim Shetima, wife of Deputy Governor of Jigawa state and many notable APC women leaders across the country.

Also at the occasion were Governor Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, Secretary to the State Government, Alhaji Usman Alhaji and the Director-General of Tinubu/Shetima Presidential Campaign Support Group, Baffa Baba Dan’Agundi.

The roll call also included wives of Kano APC governorship and deputy governorship candidates, APC women leaders from the wards and local government areas, including wives of commissioners, local government council chairmen and Special Advisers, as well as wives of party leaders and key stakeholders.

The town hall meeting provided the opportunity for Mrs Tinubu to get firsthand information about the plight of women in Kano State. The visit also afforded her the opportunity to discuss and appreciate issues bothering women in the state and Nigeria at large.

This prompted her to donate 50,000 pieces of wrappers, unspecified number of bags of rice and money to the women.

Responding to demands made by women drivers in education, health, agriculture, business and entrepreneurship, during a Town Hall meeting held for women leaders, Tinubu promised that the Tinubu/Shetima administration will give women grants for economic empowerment if given the mandate by Nigerians.

“The Tinubu/Shetima administration will ensure free, compulsory basic education for all Nigerian children, adding that they will come up with incentives that will persuade the girl-child to remain in school.

“Tinubu/Shetima will not only ensure grants and empowerment for the women, but will also come up with policies that will encourage adult education for the women,” she said.

She also spoke passionately on the need to revamp the health sector, taking into cognisance the issue of brain-drain due to the mass exodus of Nigerian medical doctors and pharmacists abroad in search of greener pastures.

Mrs. Tinubu said if voted into power, the Tinubu/Shetima administration will enact policies that will enable doctors and other health workers stay back in Nigeria and make the health sector viable so as to discourage medical tourism abroad.

“Nigerians have the best brains in the health sector, and we will ensure that Nigerian Doctors and other health workers do the best for us,” she said.

Speaking on agriculture, she reminded the gathering that Nigeria have the best weather and soil, recalling that Lagos in partnership with Kebbi state is setting the pace in rice production.

She also said the Tinubu/Shetima administration will be very passionate in revamping the economy through creation of enabling business environment.

Tinubu’s wife commended President Muhammadu Buhari for his achievements in power and other sectors, saying the Tinubu/Shetima administration will build upon and improve on the foundation laid by the outgoing administration.

It was not the first Sen Oluremi Tinubu was visiting Kano, which she described as the second home of the Tinubus. She recalled quickly how about 40 years ago, she spent a year in Sabon Gari area of Kano, during her National Youth Service (NYSC) programme.

Mrs Tinubu said: “I stayed in Sabon Gari while doing my youth service. I enjoyed myself. I want to thank you for your warm reception. We are grateful to the North. God bless Kano. God bless the North. God bless Nigeria.”

Prof. Ganduje described Tinubu’s wife’s town hall meeting as very important and historic, not only to Kano women, but to the entire people of Kano state.

She thanked God for bringing Senator Tinubu to Kano safely and in good health, and recalled that on January 4, during the APC presidential rally, Kano stood still for Tinubu for many hours, which is a testament that Kano people are fully supporting Tinubu.

She appealed to Kano women to come out en masse and vote for Tinubu/Shetima presidency on February 25.