Emulate president on women inclusion, presidential aide tells governors

A Senior Special Assistant (SSA) to the President on Leadership and Citizenship, Rinsola Abiola, has charged governors to adopt president Tinubu template at the federal level by appointing more women into positions of authority.

Abiola made the call while speaking at the Mandela Washington Fellowship Alumni Association of Nigeria (MWFAAN) as part of activities to mark the International Women Day celebrations themed “Count Her: Inspiring Inclusion & Empowerment” in Abuja at the weekend.

She revealed that Nigeria’s potential extends beyond the actions of the President in Abuja, praising his example and encouraging other governors to follow suit.

Abiola also commended Kwara State Governor, AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, for his efforts in appointing more women into his cabinet, thereby ensuring their adequate representation in leadership roles within the state.

The senior special assistant commended President Bola Tinubu for his efforts in gender mainstreaming in positions of authority, noting that at the federal level, the greatest number of women ministers appointed is the highest so far, with numerous agencies headed by women.

“I think these are things that need to be replicated across states as well. Let more governors appoint more women into positions of authority”.

Addressing elective positions, Abiola explained that it is easier to appoint women than to elect them into office.

“To surmount the challenge of having a less than satisfactory number of women in elected positions, we need policies that apply to political parties, deliberately geared at ensuring that women emerge as candidates,” she added.

She stressed the importance of implementing policies beyond affirmative actions by political parties, advocating for more actionable policies that facilitate women emerging as candidates.

She said the importance of political parties implementing policies aimed at promoting women’s candidacy, especially within major parties like the APC and PDP.

Speaking on the theme, President Farida Yahya said “we wanted to expand it further and look at not just including her but also empowering her because we believe that it’s very important that when you include women, you also give them the tools that they need.

“Mentorship, funding, and inclusive policies as essential pillars for women’s success and advocated for holistic solutions to address the diverse needs of women, including those with disabilities,” Yahya said.