AATSG Storms APC Office in Abuja insist on 45% Women inclusion in 2023.
AATSG National Team led by Otunba Abdulfalil Abayomi Odunowo took the campaign for woman participation to the APC federal secretariat, to further emphasize the need for 45% woman participation in the Nigerian polity come 2023.
The Asiwaju Ahmed Tinubu Support Group, AATSG, a frontline political mobilising organisation rooting for the presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Asiwaju Ahmed Tinubu,
While at the Secretariat The APC Deputy National woman Leader Hajiya Zainab Ibrahim met with the team of AATSG.
Speaking at the occasion, the National Chairman of the organisation, Otunba Abayomi Odunowo said that the Sustainable development goals include women’s achievement of equal participation and leadership in political and public life. This is essential for Democracy and growth, especially if all voices are represented.
He further stated that as a flagship campaign group for Tinubu, it has become imperative for the organisation to lend its voice to increased women participation across the regions of the country as we have very capable hands amongst our women to lead the charge as the nation inches closer to 2023.
He contended that Tinubu is the President Nigeria needs in 2023 saying his development blueprint as governor of Lagos State is still being implemented by his successors many years after he had left office.
Odunowo said Tinubu is a builder of men and women alike who cares less where you come from before considering you for appointment emphasizing that all he cares about is your ability to do the job whether you are Gimba, Dayo or Uche, is inconsequential to him.
As of the 1st of January 2021, the global share of women in national parliaments is 25.5% a slight increase from 24.9% the year before.
Political empowerment supports creating policies that would best support gender equality and agency for women in both the public and private spheres.
He said methods that have been suggested are to create affirmative action policies that have a quota for the number of women in policy making and parliament positions.
The national average of women’s political participation in Nigeria has remained 6.7 percent in elective and appointive positions, which is far below the Global Average of 24,9%, Africa Regional Average of 23.4% and West African Sub Regional Average of 15%.
Therefore, we are very far from achieving Gender equality. Global data, especially that gathered from the world bank and UNWomen, show the slow pace at which women’s political participation is advancing. This snail speed prevails in spite of the Bejing declaration which was ratified by most countries of the world including Nigeria.
The few countries that have managed to achieve or surpass the percentage have attributed this success to legislative or constitutional quota systems. The situation in our country is made worse because the only gender prescription we have, which ought to protect women’s political participation, is shrouded in a mere policy.
The danger of this is that it is susceptible to change with any government that comes into power and is not binding on political parties. This is evident in the reduced number of women in the Nigerian parliament and even the reduction of women in appointive positions at the moment.
“And I want to appreciate the leadership of APC and call on the continuous support. Tinubu is the best candidate not only for the party but the country. His past achievements speak volumes.
“He literally transformed the landscape of Lagos state. At a time, for twenty three months, no federal allocation, yet the state did not collapse. His blueprint on development is still being followed by successive governments.
“In terms of building human capacity, he is second to none in the present day Nigeria. He has an army of followers that gets as high as the current vice President. And of course we should not forget the pivotal role he played in making the current administration possible in 2015 against a PDP incumbent President.
In addition to Odunowo’s request and plea, the National Women Leader of AATSG Hon Zarah Bukar who was part of the team at the occasion said It is also evident in the fact that the most likely portfolios assigned to women are those that are today considered as “gendered portfolios”. These include Family/children/youth/elderly/disabled; followed by Social affairs; Environment/natural resources/energy; Employment/labour/vocational training, and Women affairs/gender equality.
The AATSG National Women Leader also said that Nigerian women have proven that they can excel in duties assigned to them in many ways. They bring multifaceted skills and talents, enough to get the desired results to move a nation. There is absolutely no reason why they should not be given the opportunity to contribute their quota in equal measures with men.
Hon Zarah Bukar added that certain policies do not favour women in our democracy because only a woman who understands it can make a decision on it, and so It is time for our country to rise to the occasion, and portray its true claim of being giant of Africa, by ensuring that the Gender Equality Act is passed in the National Assembly and women are given their appropriate place in decision making positions.
In her response Hajiya Zainab Ibrahim the APC Deputy National Woman Leader thanked the organisation for the Clarion call in Support of 45% women participation in Nigeria governance and pledged to do everything within her power to ensure that AATSG request is delivered to the relevant people in our great party.
And she also promised to take the AATSG request to the National Working committee of the party, indicating that they have always pushed for same and there is substantial progress as for the first time APC has a gubernatorial Candidate in Adamawa State.
Some of the executive members of AATSG that were present at the occasion include,
Alhaji Dauda Habu MoiSoro. the National Organizing Secretary and Sampson Atasia Oburu the National Publicity Secretary.
