By Dansu Peter In a powerful show of loyalty and political camaraderie, former First Lady Dame Patience Jonathan has declared that the 202...
By Dansu Peter
Speaking at the Women Icon Leader of the Year award ceremony hosted by Accolade Dynamics Limited in Abuja on Saturday night, Dame Patience made it clear that she has no intention of returning to Aso Rock. Instead, she pledged her full support to First Lady Senator Oluremi Tinubu and her husband, the President.
"This is turn-by-turn," she said. "When it was our turn, they stood by us. Now it's their turn, and we must stand by them. That is the right thing to do."
Patience Jonathan, known for her candid and passionate speeches, addressed the audience while honouring Folashade Tinubu-Ojo, daughter of President Tinubu and the Iyaloja-General of Nigeria.
“I was supposed to mention her earlier, but I saved her for last—the daughter of our President, the one and only we believe in, Bola Ahmed Tinubu,” she said. “Iyaloja, thank you for standing with women. These are your women. Carry them along—they are with you.”
The former First Lady went further to express her unshakable support for the Tinubu family, saying, “All the way, we are with you. No shaking. We will follow. Direct us, and we will follow. Because there is only one president at a time. We don’t have two presidents. I am outspoken—if I don’t like something, I say it. But if I like something, I stand by it completely.”
Reflecting on the past, she recalled the Tinubus’ role in supporting her family’s political journey.
“I didn’t just meet Oluremi Tinubu because she’s now First Lady. We go way back. We worked together—when I was a deputy governor’s wife, a governor’s wife, and even when my husband was vice president. She and her husband supported us during our first election. So for me, I have a conscience. I cannot abandon my friend.”
Firmly shutting down speculation about any political comeback, Patience Jonathan said, “I’m not running. I’m not going back to the Villa. Even if you call me, I will not go. I stand by my friend. She’s great. I told her I would campaign with her. I’m not denying her.”
With her passionate endorsement, Dame Patience Jonathan has sent a clear message: for her, 2027 is not just another election cycle—it’s a moment to honor political friendship and repay a longstanding debt of loyalty.
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