Renewed Hope Initiative Not Politicized, Osun First Lady’s Office Insists

…Dismisses APC’s claims

The Office of the First Lady of Osun State has condemned the recent insinuations, half-truths and fake information being circulated, and credited to the Osun State Women Leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Mrs. Kudiratu Fakokunde, suggesting that Her Excellency, Chief (Mrs) Titilola Adeleke, deliberately short-changed beneficiaries of the Renewed Hope Initiative Business Grant facilitated by the First Lady of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, in collaboration with the Tony Elumelu Foundation.

In a reaction by the office of the First Lady of Osun State made available to newsmen on Monday, “The allegation is not only unfounded but a deliberate misrepresentation of the facts.

“For clarity and the benefit of the public, the Renewed Hope Initiative is a noble programme of the First Lady of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, designed to uplift grassroots women across the country and provide them with the resources to strengthen their businesses and support their families.

“The scheme is not partisan, neither it is intended to serve the interests of any political party. Rather, it is a people-oriented empowerment initiative that seeks to touch the lives of women, irrespective of their political, religious, or social affiliations.

“It is therefore unfortunate and regrettable that an initiative of such magnitude and impact is being politicized and twisted in an attempt to score cheap political points.

“In the case of Osun State, the programme allocated a total of 500 slots for women beneficiaries. Out of this number, the APC was directly carried along and allotted 200 slots in recognition of inclusivity and fairness.

“This gesture alone demonstrates that the Office of the First Lady of Osun State does not discriminate against anyone on account of politics. Indeed, it must be stressed that women across the state, cutting across different political parties and community groups, benefitted from this programme as intended by the First Lady of Nigeria.

“The claim, therefore, that the Osun First Lady short-changed the APC is entirely false and mischievous”.

The reaction added that, Her Excellency, Chief (Mrs) Titilola Adeleke, has consistently demonstrated an unwavering commitment to the empowerment of women in Osun State.

She has ensured that every federal or state empowerment initiative that comes into the state is handled with transparency, equity, and fairness, always with the overriding goal of reaching as many women as possible.

“It is on record that opposition party members have benefited from previous interventions facilitated through her office. To now allege otherwise is to wilfully distort reality.

“It is important to emphasize that the Renewed Hope Initiative is bigger than any single political party. It is the brainchild of Senator Oluremi Tinubu, whose vision is to uplift Nigerian women everywhere and create opportunities for them to thrive.

“To drag such a noble project into partisan quarrels is to diminish the true essence of the initiative and to disrespect the laudable efforts of the First Lady of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

“We therefore call on the general public to disregard the baseless claims being circulated by the APC Women Leader.

“Her Excellency, Chief Mrs Titilola Adeleke, the First Lady of Osun state remain committed to supporting women across Osun State without prejudice or favoritism, in line with the Renewed Hope vision of the First Lady of Nigeria.

“The Office of the Osun First Lady will not be distracted by unfounded allegations but will continue to channel its energy toward programmes and initiatives that bring real value to the lives of women, their families, and the society at large”, the reactions concluded.