Nigeria witnessed a rare convergence of political energy and social mobilisation on Tuesday as thousands of women from across the federation stormed Abuja, unveiling a sweeping charter and signalling the emergence of a formidable bloc that could shape the country’s political and development trajectory ahead of 2027.
At the centre of the historic gathering, the National Women Mega Empowerment and Rally 2026 themed “The Power of 10 Million” was Nigeria’s First Lady, Oluremi Tinubu, who declared that women are no longer on the margins of national development but are now the driving force of Nigeria’s next phase.
Addressing the massive crowd, she framed the mobilisation as both a reflection of women’s enduring resilience and a signal of their rising influence in governance, politics and the economy.
The First Lady described the moment as historic, recalling the legacy of the late Laila Dogonyaro, whose advocacy for girl-child education and women’s empowerment helped define earlier struggles for inclusion in Northern Nigeria.
She emphasised that empowering women would strengthen families, communities and national stability, while assuring participants that the women’s charter presented at the rally would be delivered to President Bola Tinubu as a reflection of their collective aspirations.
Minister of Women Affairs, Imaan Sulaiman-Ibrahim, described the mobilisation as unprecedented, declaring that Nigerian women are experiencing a level of attention and prioritisation never seen before.
Significantly, the Minister disclosed that women’s groups have resolved to throw their weight behind President Tinubu’s anticipated 2027 bid, stressing that their voting power remains their strongest tool.
Also lending weight to the political messaging, APC Deputy National Women Leader and Chair of the Organising Committee, Zainab Ibrahim, said the rally symbolised the aggregation of millions of voices demanding inclusion across political, economic and educational spheres.
In a joint intervention, Chioma Uzodimma and Noimot Salako-Oyedele described the movement as more than a symbolic show of numbers, portraying it as a structured national platform aimed at organising women for long-term impact.
Lois Auta, President of the Network of Women with Disabilities, drew attention to the marginalisation of women with disabilities in political structures despite existing legal provisions.
“We must move from exclusion to inclusion,” she said, urging stakeholders to create pathways that would enable them to contest and occupy elective positions.
By the close of proceedings, the Abuja convergence had evolved into a defining moment—one that not only spotlighted women’s growing influence but also unveiled a structured, policy-driven and politically conscious bloc positioning itself at the centre of Nigeria’s next phase of development and the unfolding contest for power in 2027.
Michael Olugbode
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