The Minister of Women Affairs, Hon Iman Sulaiman-Ibrahim, has called for a stricter adherence to the All Progressives Congress (APC) constitution on gender representation in party affairs.
Hon Sulaiman-Ibrahim who stated this on Wednesday at the APC North Central Zonal Congress in Lafia , pledged the unwavering support of Nigerian women towards the party’s victory in upcoming elections.
She noted with reservations the significant disparity between the party’s internal regulations and the current list of candidates.
The Minister said while the APC constitution mandates a 30% affirmative action for women, the current reality remains far below the threshold.
”If you look at the list of candidates, we have just one woman out of 12, it shows that there is room for improvement because this even violates our party constitution.
“Our party constitution says 30%, but you can be rest assured to all the candidates that the women have reaffirmed the victory of these candidates,” she observed.
Hon Sulaiman-Ibrahim however emphasised that the current administration and party leadership have provided a historic level of engagement for women in the political space.
She urged male counterparts to move beyond the status quo and further champion the inclusion of women in leadership roles.
”Never have we had it this good as women in Nigeria and women in the APC. Never,” she stated. “We’re seeing an unprecedented support for women in politics and I would like to encourage the men to do more because you can do more,” she added.
The Minister reminded the congress of the formidable voting power held by the female electorate, describing them as the backbone of the party’s grassroots mobilisation.
She said women represent 50% of the voters, with the remainder being “our children and our husbands,” reinforcing the idea that a vote for women is a vote for the stability of the family unit and the party.
Speaking on behalf of both serving and former members of the Federal Executive Council, as well as the “Renewed Hope Ambassadors,” Hon. Sulaiman-Ibrahim reiterated their commitment to using every available resource to deliver the dividends of democracy to the people.
”We’ll work for APC before, we’ll work for APC again,” she affirmed. “We will support from our budget, from whatever we can, to ensure that we continue to deliver the dividends of democracy and we emerge victorious in the upcoming election,” she said.
Also speaking, the former National Chairman of the APC, Senator Abdullahi Adamu, expressed satisfaction with the current leadership’s commitment to maintaining the party’s established protocols.
On his part, APC National Chairman, Prof Nentawe Yilwatda represented by the deputy National Secretary of the party, Prof Abdulkarim Kana congratulated the newly inaugurated zonal officers, characterizing their emergence as a call to service rather than a factional victory.
He urged the new leadership to prioritize party unity and initiate reconciliation efforts with any aggrieved members to maintain organisational cohesion
The Congress concluded with a unified reaffirmation of the candidates, as the party looks toward consolidating its influence across the North Central zone.
The Voice reports that the event saw a massive turnout of governors, federal lawmakers, ministers, and delegates from across the six states and the Federal Capital Territory ( FCT).
