Picture: Nigeria’s First Lady, Mrs Tinubu
By Chinedum Treasure
The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Anambra State has protested the alleged exclusion of the party and its women’s leadership from arrangements for the visit of Nigeria’s First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, to the state on Thursday.
The party, however, welcomed and congratulated the First Lady, while accusing the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) of deceiving President Bola Ahmed Tinubu with the narrative of “progressives working together.”
The APC expressed its position in a statement issued on Monday and signed by the state Secretary, Sir Obi Okpala.
According to the party, its leadership only became aware of the visit through an announcement by the office of Anambra’s First Lady, Dr Nonye Soludo.
“The Anambra State APC warmly welcomes Her Excellency, Senator Oluremi Tinubu CON, to our dear state and appreciates her unwavering commitment to the empowerment, welfare and economic advancement of Nigerian women,” the statement said.
The party said it was concerned that its state leadership, women’s leadership and recognised structures had not been formally invited or meaningfully involved in preparations for the visit.
It argued that an official visit by the First Lady, particularly one focused on women’s empowerment, should provide room for broad participation and consultation beyond partisan considerations.
The APC also rejected what it described as the repeated narrative that “Progressives Are Working Together,” alleging that APGA was using the slogan to create a misleading impression of cooperation while failing to adequately promote President Tinubu’s achievements in Anambra.
“The rhetorics of progressives working together is only intended for national television shows,” the party alleged.
The APC said it had been strengthened and structured to support President Tinubu in Anambra State, insisting that genuine cooperation among progressives should involve broader inclusion and recognition of relevant political stakeholders.
The party maintained that its concerns were not intended to politicise the First Lady’s humanitarian and empowerment programme, but to demand greater inclusion in the spirit of national unity.
Tags: Anambra APC, Oluremi Tinubu, APGA, Anambra Politics
