Nominate women for ministerial appointments, activist urges govs

The Chief Executive Officer of Women Radio 91.7, Okewale Sonaiya, has urged governors across the country put forward names of deserving women for ministerial appointments for the incoming administration.

She explained that though the final decision lies with President-elect, Bola Tinubu, the buck still stops on the table of governors in the 35 states of the federation to forward women’s names for appointments.

In a statement she personally signed on Monday, the Women Radio CEO urged the All Progressives Congress governors to nominate at least one woman among their three nominees for Tinubu.

According to her, one female nomination per three nominees by governors, the 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.

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The statement read in part, “Competent and capable women politicians and female technocrats hail from all Nigerian states and every man and woman should play a part in rebuilding the socio-economic fabric of our beloved country. While our men are great nation builders, they require the support and input of women. Only when men and women lead together can Nigeria progress.

“Despite increased lobbying and advocacy for gender balance and female inclusion in politics in the last three years, the just-concluded 2023 elections saw the lowest and most demoralising percentage of elected women senators and House of Representatives, with only three and fourteen, respectively. The 9th National Assembly rejected the passage of the five gender bills, failing Nigerian women. Nigerian women are hopeful that the 10th National Assembly will pass the bills for Nigeria’s development.

“Political parties must revisit their manifestos and match their words with actions in terms of female recognition within the party, as marginalisation against women in elective positions arises internally.

“I hope that our amiable governors will raise the stakes of our polity for the sake of the great Republic of Nigeria and that the incoming administration will both uphold the demands of women as promised and write its name in the books of Nigerian history in good standing.”