Nigeria’s First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, has urged residents of Ekiti State to support Governor Biodun Oyebanji’s re-election bid ahead of the state’s governorship election, while announcing a N100 million empowerment grant for women entrepreneurs.
Speaking during a women’s gathering at the Ekitikete Pavilion in Ado-Ekiti on Saturday, the First Lady commended the people of the state for their continued support for the governor and his administration.
She appealed to voters to return Oyebanji to office, describing his administration as one deserving of continued public backing.
As part of her visit, Tinubu announced a N100 million grant targeted at supporting small-scale businesses owned by women across the state. Under the initiative, 2,000 women are expected to receive N50,000 each as business support funds.
According to the First Lady, the intervention is intended to strengthen women’s economic activities and improve household livelihoods. She clarified that the funds are grants and not loans, meaning beneficiaries would not be required to repay the money.
Tinubu also expressed optimism about the future of the country, stating that she would return to Ekiti State to campaign for President Bola Tinubu’s re-election ahead of the 2027 presidential election.
Earlier during the visit, the First Lady inaugurated a newly completed Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Centre at Ekiti State University, Ado-Ekiti. The project was facilitated through her Renewed Hope Initiative and is aimed at enhancing digital learning and technological development within the institution.
The Minister of Women Affairs, Imaan Sulaiman-Ibrahim, also called on women in the state to continue supporting the All Progressives Congress (APC) administrations at both the federal and state levels.
In her remarks, the wife of the governor, Dr. Olayemi Oyebanji, appreciated women in the state for their support and urged them to mobilise votes for the governor in the forthcoming election.
Governor Oyebanji, while thanking the First Lady for her interventions and support, said the partnership and assistance from the Federal Government had contributed significantly to the achievements recorded by his administration in areas such as infrastructure, healthcare, and employment.
He assured that the people of Ekiti State would continue to support the APC and reciprocate the goodwill shown to the state by the federal administration.
