Female activists, politicians push for 35% in Tinubu’s cabinet

Worried by the poor gender representation in the current 10th National Assembly, women activists have called on President Bola Tinubu to implement the 35% affirmative action in the appointment of ministers and other key positions.

They said the president being a gender-friendly politician would not disappoint the majority of women who supported his election.

The activists including women politicians spoke at a virtual conference with the theme, “President Tinubu’s ministerial list and 35% Affirmative Action for Women” convened by Women Radio.

This was coming against the backdrop of the poor outing of women in the just concluded 2023 elections.

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A report done by Daily Trust recently indicated that 96 percent of female candidates lost out on various positions.

The activists insist that women must be well represented in both appointive and elective positions because they are more affected by the socioeconomic challenges of the nation.

One of the speakers and Deputy Chief Whip of the House of Representatives, Hon. Adewunmi Onanuga, expressed confidence in Tinubu’s government to consider more women for appointments, saying she continues to work with like-minded people to make a case for the 35% cabinet positions.

She said the percentage of women in the current National Assembly is “appalling” and assured the womenfolk that Tinubu would right the wrong in the appointments still in the kitchen.

“I have confidence in President Tinubu. We may not get 50 percent but I am assuring you, we will get 35 percent. We are not going to stop our advocacy; we keep talking to everybody to make sure that there are more women in parliament,” the lawmaker said.

Barr Jamila Babuba said the recent naira swap policy, fuel scarcity, and issues of education and healthcare delivery concern women more than their male counterparts.

She however vouched for the president to address the cries of women by appointing more of them into his yet-to-be-formed cabinet going by his antecedent when he was Lagos State governor.

Chief Executive Officer, of Nigeria Women Trust Fund, Mufuliat Fijabi, said women are more vulnerable and more concerned with the vicissitudes of life.