Former First Lady Dame Patience Jonathan has dismissed any intention of returning to Aso Rock Villa in 2027.
She has declared her support for First Lady Senator Oluremi Tinubu and her husband ahead of the 2027 general elections.
She made known while honouring Folashade Tinubu-Ojo, the daughter of President Bola Tinubu and the Iyaloja-General of Nigeria, during the Women Icon Leader of the Year award ceremony hosted by Accolade Dynamics Limited in Abuja on Saturday night.
During her speech, Jonathan took a moment to express her admiration for Tinubu-Ojo and reaffirmed her commitment to supporting the First Lady.
She said, “I was supposed to call her first, but I saved her for last: the daughter of our wonderful President, the President of Nigeria, the one and only we believe in, President Bola Tinubu. Iyaloja, thank you for standing with women because these are your women. Carry them along; they are with you.”
Addressing the crowd, Jonathan added, “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 will say it. But if I like something, I die for it.”
“I believe in one president. I believe in turn-by-turn. When it’s your turn, I will support you. When it’s not your turn, step back, so that the country can move forward.”
Jonathan also recalled how Remi Tinubu and the president supported her and her husband when they contested for the presidency in 2011.
She insisted that rather than return to Aso Rock, she would support the First Lady and her husband.
She said, “I didn’t just know her (Senator Oluremi Tinubu) just because she’s the First Lady, no. We worked together. We worked as a group.
“We are groups. We worked when I was a deputy governor’s wife. We worked when I was a governor’s wife. I know her. I talked with Oluremi. Even when my husband was the vice president, Oluremi stood with her husband and supported us during our first election. They supported us. So, for me, I have a conscience. I cannot abandon my friend, whether you like it or not.
“Because, you see, this is turn by turn. Today is my turn—I will go. Tomorrow, it will be another person’s turn—then we go. And when we go, will we still meet? Where will we meet? I don’t know.
“I stand by my friend. My friend is great. I told her I would campaign with her. I’m not denying her. I’m not running. I’m not going back to the villa. If you call me, I will not go.”
