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…Says No To Voters’ Apathy, No To Rigging, No To Intimidation
IBADAN — It was an atmosphere filled with emotion, thanksgiving, prayers and renewed hope on Tuesday as Hon. Engr. Dr. Aderemi Abas Oseni, Member Representing Ido/Ibarapa East Federal Constituency and Chairman, House Committee on Federal Road Maintenance Agency (FERMA), met with hundreds of widows from Awotan, Apete and neighbouring communities in Ibadanland as part of his ongoing strategic political consultations ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The highly impactful gathering, held at D’Ace Hall, Awotan, brought together widows from different communities within Oyo South Senatorial District who converged in large numbers to interact with the federal lawmaker, present their concerns, share their experiences and seek greater attention to issues affecting their families, businesses and livelihoods.
Hon. Remi Oseni, who is also the Candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) for Oyo South Senatorial District in the 2027 general elections, was received with songs, dancing and fervent prayers by the women.
In her emotionally laden welcome address, the Coordinator of the Widows’ Group described the women as not helpless, but as resilient mothers, caregivers, businesswomen, farmers and workers who, despite the painful loss of their husbands, have continued to shoulder the enormous responsibility of providing food for their families, paying school fees, and securing the future of their children.
She noted that many of the widows carry burdens that were once shared with their spouses, stressing that their needs go beyond sympathy.
According to her, what widows in Oyo South need is genuine support, empowerment, skills acquisition opportunities, financial assistance, educational support for their children, and inclusion in community development initiatives.
She made a passionate appeal to Hon. Remi Oseni to always consider widows whenever opportunities for empowerment, business support and educational intervention are being made available by government, individuals and corporate bodies.
“Distinguished Honourable, we appeal to you to remember widows whenever opportunities for empowerment, skills acquisition, financial assistance, education and community development are being considered. When you empower a widow, you are not helping only one woman; you are helping an entire family and securing the future of her children,” the Coordinator stated.
Responding, Hon. Remi Oseni commenced his address with soul-lifting thanksgiving songs and heartfelt prayers for the widows, committing them into the hands of God. He described the gathering as well organised and appreciated the organisers and leadership of the widows’ group for what he called a job well done.
The APC Senatorial Candidate explained that the meeting formed part of his wide consultations across communities in Oyo South ahead of the forthcoming general elections, noting that such engagements help him to listen directly to the people and align his legislative agenda with their realities.
Speaking on national politics, Hon. Remi Oseni reiterated his unalloyed support for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and his Renewed Hope Agenda, urging members of his political structure and supporters across the seven local government areas of Oyo South to intensify grassroots engagement in support of the President and all APC candidates.
He called for a complete shift from armchair politics to a rigorous house-to-house, street-to-street and door-to-door mobilisation approach, urging his supporters to engage directly with residents, market women, artisans and youth in their neighbourhoods.
He reminded the gathering that the 2027 general election timetable released by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has fixed the Presidential and National Assembly elections for January 16th, 2027, while the Governorship and State House of Assembly elections will follow as announced by the Commission, stressing that early preparation is key to victory.
In a firm tone, Hon. Remi Oseni also condemned alleged acts of political intimidation in the state, including the reported destruction of campaign billboards belonging to opposition parties and the alleged movement of firearms by political actors to intimidate opponents.
He urged anyone who witnessed such criminal activities to promptly report them to the appropriate security agencies for necessary action, stressing that political disagreements must not be allowed to degenerate into violence and brigandage.
“We say no to voters’ apathy, and we say no to rigging. We say no to intimidation of voters. Politics must be played with decorum. People must be allowed to vote freely for candidates of their choice without coercion, harassment or fear,” Oseni declared to a thunderous applause from the widows.
Speaking further about his well-known philanthropy and financial support for market women, widows and other vulnerable members of the society, Hon. Remi Oseni said his personal life experiences had strengthened his desire to always assist people facing economic challenges.
He recalled with nostalgia that his own parents had also experienced difficult times while raising him and that he himself had worked as a bus conductor in his early days while growing up, an experience which taught him the value of hard work, resilience and little beginnings.
According to him, many market women and widows require relatively modest financial support to sustain their businesses and keep their families going, adding that he considers giving to people not as politics, but as part of his covenant with God and a contribution to society.
“The more I give, the more God blesses me. I pray every day that God should give me more so that I can give more to the society. My joy is to see people happy,” he said.
Hon. Remi Oseni also referenced the biblical injunction to care for widows and the fatherless, praying that Jesus Christ, whom he described as the Husband of widows and the Father to the fatherless, would continue to provide for them, protect them and meet them at their points of need.
At the conclusion of the highly successful gathering, Hon. Remi Oseni thanked the women for abandoning their businesses and other engagements to honour him, stating that he does not take people’s time for granted.
He explained that his practice of giving financial assistance at such gatherings is also a way of appreciating people for their presence, sacrifices, and for the time invested in listening to his political vision.
He subsequently announced a ₦10 million donation to support the widows and their families, a pronouncement that threw the entire hall into jubilation with songs of praise and fervent prayers for him and his political ambition.
The well-attended event ended with intense prayers, goodwill messages, and solidarity chants, as the widows expressed profound appreciation for Hon. Remi Oseni’s visit, his humility in engaging with them, and the financial support announced at the gathering, pledging to mobilise massively for him and President Tinubu in 2027.
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