Wife of the Lagos State Governor, Dr Ibijoke Sanwo-Olu, and the Minister of Women Affairs, Hajia Imaan Ibrahim, have called for the early integration of young adults into Nigeria’s political space to shape governance.
Their remarks were made during the 2025 Lagos State APC Women Summit themed “Arise, Aspire and Ascend,” held on Thursday in Ikeja.
In her keynote address, Minister Ibrahim praised President Bola Tinubu’s administration for increasing opportunities for women and youths within his cabinet. She highlighted that 60 percent of Nigeria’s population is under 25, most of them women, urging them to prepare to make their votes count in 2027. She also commended Tinubu for placing women at the center of his administration and pledged collective endorsement for the president ahead of the next general election.
Ibrahim encouraged women to continue aspiring and seizing opportunities provided by the current cabinet, which includes eight female ministers. “We have never had it this good and we must make good use of this opportunity,” she said. She also commended the First Lady, Sen. Oluremi Tinubu, for her efforts in the political and economic empowerment of women and noted that empowerment programmes by the ministry and Mrs Tinubu had promoted economic growth and impacted lives.
Dr Sanwo-Olu emphasized the importance of mentoring children early to appreciate civic responsibilities, citing examples of Northern parents who expose their children to these responsibilities from a young age. She urged parents in the South-West to adopt similar mentorship approaches and expressed hope for a mindset shift towards early political engagement by youths. She noted that voter participation in the 2023 governorship election in Lagos was low, with only 762,000 of the seven million registered voters casting ballots. Sanwo-Olu called for collaboration among women, youths, and residents to ensure President Tinubu’s reelection in 2027, urging participants to actively support voter registration.
In her welcome address, Mrs Jumoke Okoya-Thomas, Lagos APC Women Leader, encouraged women to take ownership of the ongoing development initiatives under the Tinubu administration. She described women not only as participants in democracy but as custodians of its continuity, urging them to lead and inspire change across all political levels. Okoya-Thomas highlighted success stories from empowerment and humanitarian programmes initiated by President Tinubu, Mrs Tinubu, and Vice President’s wife, Nana Shettima, which have provided skills, access, and confidence to women.
Panelists at the summit further urged women to break cultural barriers and aspire for political offices, while calling on youths to register, engage, and participate actively in real elections rather than limiting their involvement to social media. They highlighted the benefits of political participation and mentorship for youth development and national growth.
The summit marked the official launch of a movement designed to shape political perception, participation, and performance, translating governance initiatives into grassroots engagement and mobilization for the 2027 general election.
