First lady briefs party leaders on inclusion agreement for women Abubakar Malami, the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, and Pauline Tallen, the Minister of Women Affairs, were given orders by President Muhammadu Buhari yesterday to propose constitutional and legal amendments that could help level the playing field for women in politics and government.
At the APC Women Presidential Campaign Committee’s inauguration, the president spoke at State House in Abuja (APCWPCC).
Buhari instructed the All Progressives Congress (APC branch )’s women’s to resist the urge to focus all of their campaigning in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
He advised them to spread the Tinubu/Shettima presidential campaign across the entire nation, including all 774 local government areas and more than 8,000 wards.
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The president emphasized the need to spread voter education and canvass support for the APC candidates while being represented by his chief of staff, Professor Ibrahim Gambari.
As we prepare for the 2023 general election, my administration has continued to listen to the strong voices of our women for gender justice, social inclusion, and adequate participation in the affairs of their country as well as in accordance with global, regional, and national standards, as well as agreements, protocols, and policies to which Nigeria is a signatory.
The president said in response to earlier calls for the inclusion of more women in elective and appointive positions made by his wife, Aisha.
“In this regard, I hereby direct the Honorable Attorney General and Minister of Justice, as well as the Honorable Minister of Women Affairs, to work closely with the Office of the First Lady to ensure that significant legislation that can be brought before the National Assembly was carried out assiduously in furtherance of entrenching constitutional change and legal change and creating a level playing field for our women.”
As this event is being held in Abuja, Buhari said, “We must keep in mind that the real war being fought in distant locations outside of Abuja. The challenge is to convince fellow citizens of our position in the more than 8,000 wards and 774 local governments spread across the nation.
“In this regard, I hereby direct the Honorable Attorney General and Minister of Justice, as well as the Honorable Minister of Women Affairs, to work closely with the Office of the First Lady to ensure that significant legislation that can be brought before the National Assembly was carried out assiduously in furtherance of entrenching constitutional change and legal change and creating a level playing field for our women.”
As this event is being held in Abuja, Buhari said, “We must keep in mind that the real war being fought in distant locations outside of Abuja.
The challenge is to convince fellow citizens of our position in the more than 8,000 wards and 774 local governments spread across the party’s candidate, articulating the vision and the programme for the country.
“The campaign, therefore, should fight the temptation to become an Abuja-centric activity, but develop the relationship between the voting public and our presidential candidate, and for other candidates for positions throughout Nigeria, that should be the final purpose,” the statement reads.
Women have remained the most devoted and helpful group in my mission for a better Nigeria notwithstanding the difficulties during my political career and my term as President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. Senator Bola Ahmed Tinubu, our presidential candidate, and Senator Kashim Shettima, our vice presidential candidate, should receive the same backing.
He appreciated the role that women played in his triumphs in the presidential elections of 2015 and 2019, and he urged them to do the same in 2023 by helping Tinubu and Shettima, the APC candidate, win the presidency and vice presidency, respectively.
In the 2019 elections, women cast 47% of the votes, according to Buhari, who predicted that their involvement will be considerable in the 2023 elections.
The First Lady, who is also the chairman of the APCWPCC, indicated earlier in her speech that her committee needed to strike a deal with the party leadership before the election in order to secure guarantees of more women inclusion in the incoming administration.
reduction in women’s involvement and participation in all three tiers of government’s elective and appointed roles. Over the years, especially at the ranks of the legislative branch of government, our pleas and clamors have gone unheard.
“As a result, our movement has no choice but to request that the party’s leadership enter into an agreement with Nigerian women. For paperwork and follow-up purposes, we have no choice but to sign an agreement with Nigerian women outlining the positive policies of the party toward women.
The party was given the assurance by Aisha Buhari that the ladies would start their tasks with one goal in mind: “deliver the presidency of APC in 2023. Because it was accomplished twice in 2015 and 2019, this is feasible.
