Tinubu’s Wife’s Anambra, Imo Visits Demonstrate Inclusive Governance — Ekwunife

By Senator Uche Ekwunife, CON

The recent visits of Nigeria’s First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, to Anambra and Imo states have been described as a demonstration of the Federal Government’s commitment to inclusive development and grassroots empowerment.

Speaking on the significance of the visits, Senator Uche Ekwunife, the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate for the 2027 Anambra Central Senatorial Election, said the First Lady’s engagements in the Southeast had provided a strong link between federal interventions and the needs of communities at the grassroots.

Ekwunife, who said she witnessed the engagements firsthand, described Senator Tinubu’s arrival at the Chinua Achebe International Airport in Anambra as a significant moment for the people of the state.

According to her, the launch of the National Community Food Bank Programme for the Southeast zone in Amawbia was one of the major highlights of the visit.

She said the programme would provide critical support to vulnerable households, particularly widows, elderly people and persons living with disabilities, while also supporting agricultural activities.

“Food security is the absolute bedrock of any thriving society,” Ekwunife said, adding that the food bank initiative represented a structured approach to addressing hunger and cushioning the effects of current economic challenges on vulnerable families.

She noted that the intervention was consistent with her longstanding advocacy for agricultural support, rural empowerment and social safety nets for vulnerable Nigerians.

Ekwunife also highlighted the inauguration of the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) Information and Communications Technology Experience Centre at the Federal Polytechnic, Oko.

She described the facility as an important investment in the future of young people in Anambra, particularly at a time when digital skills and technology are increasingly shaping the global economy.

According to her, the centre would provide students with opportunities to acquire digital and remote-work skills, improve their competitiveness and potentially create employment through technology-driven enterprises.

She said investments in digital education were essential to addressing youth unemployment and harnessing the potential of Nigeria’s growing young population.

Another major component of the First Lady’s visit was the launch of a statewide empowerment programme at the Dr Alex Ekwueme Square in Awka.

Ekwunife said the programme, which targeted beneficiaries across Anambra’s 21 local government areas, involved the distribution of vocational and agricultural equipment, including sewing machines, gas cookers, refrigerators and agro-processing tools.

She described the intervention as an important step towards strengthening grassroots businesses and improving the livelihoods of women, farmers, artisans and other beneficiaries.

“By placing the means of production directly into the hands of market women and artisans, the First Lady has initiated a ripple effect of wealth creation that will stimulate local economies and generate employment,” she said.

The former federal lawmaker said the interventions were consistent with the objectives of the Renewed Hope Initiative, which she described as an important platform for addressing challenges in agriculture, economic empowerment, health, education and social investment.

She commended President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for supporting the initiative and for what she described as efforts to combine economic reforms with measures aimed at cushioning vulnerable Nigerians from the impact of those reforms.

According to Ekwunife, sustainable development requires both sound economic policies at the national level and targeted interventions that enable ordinary citizens to cope with economic realities.

She said the Federal Government’s focus on infrastructure, agriculture and local industries, combined with the social interventions of the Renewed Hope Initiative, could help create the foundation for long-term economic stability.

In Imo State, Ekwunife said the First Lady’s visit was equally significant, noting that agricultural inputs, food items and empowerment tools were distributed to thousands of women, widows, youths and persons living with disabilities across the state’s 27 local government areas.

She added that projects focusing on health and women’s development were also commissioned during the visit.

Ekwunife, who served alongside Senator Oluremi Tinubu in the 8th and 9th National Assemblies, said the First Lady’s current humanitarian interventions reflected the qualities she had demonstrated as a senator.

“Having served with Senator Oluremi Tinubu in both the 8th and 9th Nigerian Senate, I can personally attest that her generosity is second to none,” she said.

According to her, the compassion, diligence and commitment to public service demonstrated by Senator Tinubu during her time in the Senate had continued through the Renewed Hope Initiative.

Ekwunife reaffirmed her commitment to the development of Anambra Central and the wider Anambra State, promising to support programmes and policies capable of improving the welfare of residents.

She urged beneficiaries and citizens to make effective use of the equipment, agricultural inputs and digital infrastructure provided through the interventions.

She also called for peace and unity in the Southeast, saying a stable environment would be critical to attracting investment and accelerating development.

“The era of divisive rhetoric must give way to unified purpose and shared prosperity,” Ekwunife said.

She expressed appreciation to the First Lady for the visits and interventions, saying the programmes had demonstrated the potential benefits of aligning federal initiatives with the developmental aspirations of states and communities.

She urged citizens to take ownership of the opportunities created by the interventions and work towards ensuring that the benefits translate into sustainable improvements in livelihoods.

Senator Uche Ekwunife, CON, is the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate for the 2027 Anambra Central Senatorial Election.