By Ere-ebi Agedah
Women right advocate and the CEO, Women Radio 91.7, Toun Okewale Sonaiya has appealed to the state chief executives, especially those elected in the platform of the governing All Progressives Congress (APC) to include women in the list of their ministerial-nominees to the president-elect, Bola Ahmed Tinubu upon inauguration.
She underlined that state governors wield humongous influence in the appointment of ministers and other top government functionaries, urging them to include at least one woman in the 3 names they are to forward to the president-elect for consideration as Ministers.
In a statement on Sunday, the Women Radio boss said there is need to fill the vacuum created by the shortfall of women in the 2023 general elections, noting that women are critical stakeholders in nation-building.
“One female nomination per three nominees by governors, APC chairmen and leadership in non-APC states would translate to approximately 35% in accordance with the affirmative action and bridge the vacuum created in 2023 elective positions”, she stated.
She said all parts of the country is blessed with capable women politicians and female technocrats who have what it takes to play a strategic role in building the country’s socio-economic fabric.
While underlining that men require the support of women for a robust and result-oriented leadership, Sonaiya commended women groups who are leading a strong alliance in advocating for an increase female participation at the state and federal levels.
“Women Advocates Research and Documentation Center is coordinating women representatives of each state to present the Nigerian Women Charter of Demand to the government of each state.
“Additionally, League of Women Voters of Nigeria, 100 Women Lobby Groups and Women in Politics Forum members in each of the 36 states will visit governors to lobby for state nomination of women for ministerial and commissioner appointments.
“Nigerian Women Trust Fund is holding a strategic briefing with 9th Assembly female legislators on the 35% affirmative action judgment to demand more appointments of women with the incoming administration”, she noted.
Sonaiya expressed dissatisfaction that despite increased lobbying and advocacy for gender balance and female inclusion in politics in the last three years, the just-concluded 2023 elections recorded the lowest and what she described as the most demoralising percentage of elected women Senators and House of Representatives members with only three and fourteen, respectively.
While frowning at the rejection of five gender bills by the 9th National Assembly, the advocate expressed confidence that the 10th National Assembly will revisit and pass the bills into law for Nigeria’s development.
She therefore appealed to political parties to revisit their manifestos and match their words with actions in terms of female recognition within the party, saying marginalization against women in elective positions alarming.
