APC women’s group scores Tinubu low in female appointments

The defunct APC Women Campaign Council has scored the Bola Tinubu administration low in the appointment of women into political offices.

Specifically, the group said President Tinubu scored an abysmal 12 per cent in women’s appointments since assuming office on May 29, 2023.

Addressing a press conference in Abuja on Wednesday, the spokesperson of the defunct APC Women Campaign Council, Elizabeth Ofuani-Otunbalogun, lamented that despite working hard for the electoral victory of the President, they have been neglected.

The spokesperson expressed concern that the President has been hijacked by people who do not mean well for the country.

Ofuani-Otunbalogun criticised President Tinubu for failing to deliver on his commitment to raise women’s involvement in governance to 35 per cent, as stated in his inaugural address, citing a significant gap between his promise and actual appointments.

She, therefore, demanded that Tinubu appoint more women into political offices to give women a sense of belonging.

The spokesperson underscored the need for gender inclusivity and recognition of women’s contributions to the President’s success.

“Having enjoyed the support of the defunct APC Women Campaign Council under the auspices of Tinubu/Shettima APC Women Campaign, it is disheartening to note that one year and four months down the line, the President and the Party are carrying on as if the people who were pivotal in retaining the party in power and, by extension, provided electoral victory for our President, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu (GCFR), and Vice President Kashim Shettima (GCON) amount to nothing,” she said.

While stressing that the cumulative appointments of the present administration fall short of the National Gender Policy, she explained that ministerial appointments witnessed 20 per cent gender inclusion instead of 35 per cent.

Her words: “From the analysis provided to us by our research team, the President performed woefully in the appointment of women into political offices from May to December 2023. The record showed that the President appointed 159 persons in 2023, 140 men and only 19 women! This translated to only 12 per cent last year. For a people who were everywhere for the APC and the President, that is not fair. And in 2024, the record again from our research team showed that out of about 99 appointments, 88 of them were male, and only 12 were women. Mr. President, it is important to tell you that those who surround you are providing names of their close allies, which they never did pre-election. This development should not make you appear unappreciative of the work of Nigerian women.

“The President’s slogan during the campaign was ‘Go and bring your polling units’ results for an appointment,’ but today, the reverse is the case. The Women’s wing was used and dumped. Those who do not even know the challenges encountered are the ones appointed, and the people who mobilised are ignored.

“We demand that the President look into the defunct APC Women Campaign Council and pick women to fill the 18 per cent deficit in the appointments made so far and ensure correction of this anomaly in future appointments for women participation.”