By Usman Ishaq Shehu
PhD Candidate | Editor in Chief, J.O.Comms

In this season of political opportunism, a growing coalition of defeated men has gathered under the hijacked African Democratic Congress (ADC), projecting themselves as national redeemers. These are men who lost out in the power game and now unite around nothing except their bitterness toward President Bola Ahmed Tinubu. But if Nigerians are to be honest with themselves, even Senator Oluremi Tinubu, First Lady of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, outshines this entire lineup, not just in character, but in impact.

Let us begin with her track record.

A First Lady of Vision, Values, and Quiet Strength

Senator Oluremi Tinubu is not your conventional First Lady. She does not chase headlines. She does not scream for attention. But in just over a year, she has delivered more tangible and transformative results than the recycled politicians now crowding the opposition.

Renewed Hope Initiative (RHI): Under this flagship programme, Remi Tinubu has implemented nationwide social intervention schemes targeting women, children, persons with disabilities, widows, orphans, and the most vulnerable Nigerians. RHI has provided grants, training, and support across all six geopolitical zones, without discrimination, without noise.

Girls’ Education and Empowerment: She launched special campaigns to support the girl-child in school, equipping thousands of young girls with scholarships, mentorship, and hygiene kits, especially in Northern Nigeria where cultural resistance to female education persists.

Widows and IDP Support: Through direct outreach and empowerment programmes, she has brought relief to widows and Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in conflict-prone regions. These women, often forgotten by society, are being seen and supported again.

Religious Harmony and Moral Leadership: As a pastor and stateswoman, she has used her moral voice to promote peace, tolerance, and value reorientation. At a time when Nigerian politics is steeped in toxic rhetoric, she stands as a moral compass.

Health and Maternal Care: Her health missions have included screening campaigns for cervical and breast cancer, provision of maternal health kits, and free medical outreach, especially for rural women.

Let’s be clear. These are not token projects. They are lifelines, quiet, consistent, and impactful interventions that have reached where many loud politicians failed to tread.

The ADC Coalition: A Gathering of Bitter Men and Broken Agendas

Now, contrast this with the so-called “coalition” under the ADC.

Rotimi Amaechi walked out of APC the moment he lost the presidential primary. Since then, he’s been more of a political ghost than a leader.

Rauf Aregbesola was rightly expelled from the APC for anti-party activities in Osun State, his own political home.

Abubakar Malami, the former Attorney-General, vanished from the political radar after failing in Kebbi. His silence says more than his speeches ever did.

Hadi Sirika is now remembered more for his court trials than for any achievements in aviation.

Kashim Imam, bitter over losing the VP slot, now pretends to offer vision.

John Odigie Oyegun, who once led the APC, has long since detached from its ideology and now seeks relevance through an alliance with failed politicians.

What is their ideology? Nothing.
What is their agenda? Vengeance.
What is their track record? Political failure, electoral betrayal, and broken ambition.

They now shout “Rescue Nigeria” but from what? From a First Lady who is delivering silent social reform? From a President who is reshaping the country’s macroeconomic framework, foreign diplomacy, and security architecture? Or are they simply trying to rescue themselves from the irrelevance they earned?

The Verdict: Nigeria Needs Builders, Not Bitter Men

Senator Oluremi Tinubu may not be perfect but she is purposeful. She brings dignity to public service, compassion to leadership, and discipline to the highest office of First Lady. She is working while others are whining.

If this is the alternative the ADC is offering, men with no moral currency, no fresh ideas, and no common vision, then Nigerians must stand firm and not be deceived. The country cannot afford to hand power to politicians united only by their hatred of progress and their fear of a second Tinubu term.

The contrast is clear. Even Remi Tinubu, quiet, principled, and impactful, is better than every one of them.