…Demands full female inclusion in politics
The wife of the presidential candidate of ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), Sen. Oluremi Tinubu has assured Nigerian women of greater representation in government if her husband, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu is elected as the country’s next president.
She gave the assurance Wednesday in Abuja, at the second edition of the APC Professionals Forum symposium of “Dissecting the Asiwaju Manifesto – Renewed Hope 2023 Action Plan for a Better Nigeria”.
Represented by the Director-General of the National Women Development Centre, Mrs Valta Bashir, the wife of the APC presidential candidate said that if elected as the country’s next president, Tinubu would give priority to issues concerning women and youths in the country.
According to her, there was a need to institutionalise female inclusion, representation in politics and governance, saying this was Tinubu’s pledge to Nigerian women.
“Politically, we will work with the National Assembly to promote greater representation of women in Government Departments and Agencies (MDAs).
“Our goal is to have at least 35 per cent female representation at all levels of government, we will also work towards progressively improving the number of female lawmakers at state and national levels.
“I am a woman, and I am a beneficiary of Asiwaju’s commitment to empowering womenfolk.
“Although I have always been passionate about charity work and have invested greatly in women and youth development as a former first lady of Lagos state.
“It was with the support of my dear husband that I was able to also take on political leadership roles,” she said.
For the country to reach its fullest potential, the Senator representing Lagos Central in the upper chamber of the National Assembly maintained that every person and segment of the population must be given a fair chance to make their best contributions to the country’s well-being and betterment.
The Senator said if elected, a Tinubu-Shettima government would provide equal and inclusive opportunities and platforms to ensure that Nigerian women excelled in all areas including economic, social and political sectors.
“This will be achieved by creating the enabling and empowering environment to deliver these goals and objectives.
“Economically, we will encourage our financial institutions to give more and broader loans and incentive schemes support to women-owned businesses.
“Our women are not lazy, we see them toiling to build homes and raise children on their meagre earnings. Asiwaju recognises that all our women need is the right and timely support to prosper,” she said.
Recalling the two-term era of her husband in Lagos state, she said as governor, Tinubu championed many women’s support initiatives that lifted several families out of dire economic challenges.
This, according to her, was why to date, Lagos women have continued to sing his praises in appreciation of his unwavering devotion and dedication to their welfare and progress.
“Socially, we will fight for and defend the dignity of our women. As we did in Lagos State through the establishment of the Domestic and Sexual Violence Agency (DSVA),
“We will encourage all states to institute the same and combine it with the efforts of the Police Gender Units.
“We will create a safe environment via sponsored legislation to support and protect victims of domestic violence and abuse,” she said.
She also said that a Tinubu-Shettima presidency would push for increased gender parity in education to ensure that the female child got a fair chance at access to basic and post-basic education.
“Our girls are very smart and intelligent, in appreciation and recognition of their intelligence, the girl child will be encouraged to pursue Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths fields (STEM).
“This will be achieved through the use of education support scholarships, structured mentorship and internship, and incentivised entrepreneurial and vocational training programs.
“We will build on the current administration’s Social Intervention Programs with greater emphasis on empowering women and youth towards lifting more families into collective wealth and prosperity.
“This is a man who has done it before and transformed Lagos State, given the chance, he will bring progress and prosperity to the women, youth and vulnerable citizens of Nigeria,” she stressed.
Earlier, the Chairman Broad of Trustees (BOT) of the forum and one-time governor of Bauchi State, Malam Isa Yuguda made a case for why Nigerians should vote for the APC presidential candidate, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu at the February 25 presidential election.
According to the former Minister of Aviation, President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration had laid a solid foundation and it will require “a Bola Ahmed Tinubu to continue and consolidate the achievements recorded”.
Sectors dissected at the symposium included Energy and Power; Women and Youth empowerment; Agriculture and Food Security.
