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By Maduabuchi Nmeribeh/Kano
A member representing Yagba Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, Hon. Leke Abejide, is mobilizing two million voters from Yoruba extraction resident in Kano for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in 2027, with the launching of N600 million empowerment programme, targeting Yoruba women Corporative Societies, widows and other vulnerable people.
The empowerment programme which was launched under the auspices of Leke Abejide Foundation (LAF), was inaugurated at Kano Pillars Stadium, Sabon Gari, on Saturday, under the chairmanship of Kano state Governor, Engr. Abba Kabir Yusuf.
Abejide, the Kano-based business tycoon, who is also the chairman, House Committee on Customs, called on the beneficiaries to ensure the reelection of President Tinubu and Governor Yusuf in the 2027 election circle, promising to do even more when they reciprocate his goodwill by massively voting for President Tinubu, Governor Yusuf and all APC candidates vying for electoral position in Kano.
According to him, the intervention was part of his commitment to giving back to the people of Kano, a city he described as his home and the foundation of his success in life.
He disclosed that he arrived in Kano decades ago, as a young boy from Alu, Yagba East Local Government Area of Kogi State, adding that the city provided him with the opportunities that shaped his business career and eventual success.
According to him, his decision to extend the empowerment programme to Kano was driven by his longstanding relationship with the people, many of whom he had known for over three decades.
Leke Abejide, explained that the N500 million interest-free loan scheme to women Corporative Societies was designed to support them establish businesses that will enable them take care of their family needs.
He also revealed that another N100 million was earmarked for widows, including assorted food items that would be distributed to the beneficiaries.
He said the initiative was designed to ensure sustainable economic empowerment through a revolving loan arrangement that would enable other women to benefit after previous beneficiaries successfully repay their loans.
Abejide further disclosed that the programme covers women from eight Yoruba-speaking states, namely Lagos, Oyo, Ogun, Osun, Ondo, Ekiti, Kogi and Kwara, alongside Ebira, Igala and Bassa communities from Kogi state resident in Kano.
Abejide assured the beneficiaries that the programme would be continuous, stressing that it was not designed as a temporary political gesture but as a sustainable intervention capable of transforming businesses and lifting families out of poverty.
The lawmaker also announced that widows captured under the programme would receive direct financial support through their bank accounts to strengthen their petty businesses, while all participating women would receive rice and six yards of printed wax fabric.
He warned beneficiaries against misusing the funds, explaining that the foundation had established monitoring mechanisms to ensure accountability and minimise defaults.
Abejide also revealed that the Foundation would soon extend its empowerment initiative to youths and men in business, particularly unemployed young people, to help them become self-reliant and economically productive.
He said the Foundation had already collected the names of prospective beneficiaries as preparations for the next phase of the programme continued.
Speaking on his political commitment, Abejide called on the Yoruba community and other beneficiaries in Kano to support President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and other All Progressive Congress (APC) candidates in the forthcoming elections.
He expressed concern over the outcome of the 2023 presidential election in Kano, where President Tinubu secured over 500,000 votes across the state’s 44 Local Government Areas, saying the result had challenged him to mobilise the Yoruba population in Kano for stronger political participation.
Abejide, who goes by the title of the Asiwaju of the Yoruba people in Kano, said arrangements were being made to appoint polling-unit coordinators among women and widows benefiting from the empowerment programme to strengthen grassroots mobilisation.
He declared his commitment to mobilising support for President Tinubu, Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf, APC senatorial candidates, House of Representatives candidates and State House of Assembly candidates.
The Foundation chairman maintained that the empowerment initiative would also promote unity among Yoruba associations in Kano, noting that the programme had brought together different groups that previously operated separately.
He cited the Foundation’s achievements in Kogi State, where it had provided free WAEC registration for more than 50,000 students and supported approximately 10,000 widows over the years.
Abejide expressed confidence that Kano, being the commercial centre of northern Nigeria, would record even greater success in the implementation of the empowerment programme.
He urged the beneficiaries to use the financial assistance judiciously, assuring them that the foundation would remain committed to improving their economic conditions.
He concluded by reaffirming his determination not to disappoint the people, describing himself as a man who keeps his promises and urging beneficiaries to reciprocate the gesture through responsible participation in the programme.
Kano state Governor, Engr. Abba Kabir Yusuf, commended Abejide for the kind gesture, and assured the Yoruba people resident in Kano of the state government’s commitment towards their welfare and welbeing.
Governor Yusuf who promised to donate a land for the building of ultra modern palace for Oba Yoruba in Kano, also donated N500 million for the project.
He urged the people to support the rulling APC and ensure the reelection of President Tinubu and other APC candidates in the state.
Speaking at the occasion, former Kogi State Governor, Yahaya Bello, said Kano is a very significant state, particularly because of its diversity and the harmonious relationship among its different communities.
He said: “The population of other ethnic groups in Kano may be relatively small compared with the indigenous population, but that does not mean we should underestimate our political strength. We have a responsibility to mobilise our people and ensure that their votes count.
“In the last presidential election, our voting population in Kano delivered nearly 500,000 votes for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu. That performance was not satisfactory, and we must do better this time.
“We are already reaching out to our people across different neighbourhoods. Our responsibility is not limited to voting for the President; we must also campaign actively for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu ahead of the 2027 general elections scheduled for January 16, 2027.”
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