President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, on Thursday, sent a list of 28 ministerial nominees to the National Assembly for screening and confirmation, out of which are seven women.
As revealed by Godswill Akpabio, President of the Senate, women in the list include the only female presidential aspirant of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in the 2023 general election, Uju Kennedy Ohanenye. However, a forum of female aspirants on the APC platform had requested for a 10 percent of 35 per cent supposed slot for women in ministerial appointments.
Others are; Hannatu Musawa, being upgraded from her recent appointment as Special Adviser to the President on Culture and Entertainment Economy; Doris Uzoka-Anite from Imo State, and an ex-member of the House of Representatives, Nkiru Onyejiocha.
Betta Edu, APC National Women Leader; Stella Okotete, former Executive Director (Business Development), Nigeria Export-Import (NEXIM) Bank; and Imaan Suleman Ibrahim, former Commissioner of the National Commission for Refugees, Migrants, and Internally Displaced Persons (NCFRMI) made the list as female ministers.
These seven women comprised 25 per cent of Tinubu’s 28-man ministerial list. However, the President clarified that the list is not exhaustive as 11 out of 36 states are yet to get a constitutional nominee in Tinubu’s cabinet.
“While noting that the above list is not exhaustive and that additional nominations will be sent in due course, I hope that the aforementioned nominees will receive the expeditious consideration and confirmation of the Senate,” the President wrote to the Senate.
Despite this, there is a growing concern that President Tinubu may take the path of his predecessors and most recent among them, the immediate past administration of President Muhammadu Buhari in terms of women’s representation.
Jonathan, Buhari and 35 per cent affirmative action for women
In 2006, Nigeria joined other countries with a strong commitment to women’s active participation in governance when it introduced National Gender Policy (NGP). The document recommends that 35 per cent of appointive positions in the country be allocated to women.
However, women’s representation in successive administrations over the years shows the country has miles to cover. According to the World Economic Forum’s Global Gender Gap Report of 2022, Nigeria is ranked 123rd out of the 146 countries rated.
Meanwhile, former President Olusegun Obasanjo stoked the fire upon the assumption of office by appointing nine women, but dropped in his second term with just five. The likes of Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala led important ministries in his cabinet. However, his immediate successor, Umaru Musa Yar’adua, couldn’t be scored higher. He only appointed seven women ministers.
But for a relative comparison, former Presidents Goodluck Jonathan and Muhammadu Buhari came closer. Jonathan beat his military and civilian predecessors by appointing more women to his cabinet. The ex-President’s 42-man ministerial appointment has 12 women. That’s over 31 per cent. Though it still fell short of the 35 per cent affirmative action but a good leap from previous administrations.
Jonathan did not just appoint more women but entrusted them with decisive ministries, such as; Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala (Minister of Finance), Mrs Diezeani Alison-Madueke (Petroleum Resources), Prof. Ruqayygatu Rufai (Education), Mrs Stella Odua-Ogiemwonyi (Aviation).
Other are; Mrs Hadiza Ibrahim Mailata, Mrs Omobola Johnson Olubusola, Ms Ama Pepple, Mrs Sarah Renge Ochekpe, Hajiya Zainab Maina, Hajiya Zainab Ibrahim Kuchi, Prof. Vila Onwaliri, and Erelu Olusola Obada.
Unfortunately, Jonathan’s successor, former President Muhammadu Buhari, failed to match the percentage of women in his predecessor’s government, much less the 35 per cent affirmative action. The immediate past President only had seven women in his 44-man cabinet. The figure represents sparsely 16 per cent, as the President himself was the Petroleum Minister.
Tinubu’s pledge and 11 more states to go
Like his predecessors, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu promised a significant improvement in women’s representation in his government. During his campaign, President Tinubu in his manifesto document titled “Renewed Hope 2023 – Action Plan for a Better Nigeria”, promised to work with the National Assembly for legislation for employment of women in all government offices.
According to the document, “The goal will be to increase women’s participation in government to at least 35 per cent of all governmental positions.”
Fast forward to May 29, the President in his inaugural speech promised that “In our administration, Women and youth will feature prominently.”
According to section 147(3) of the 1999 constitution, as amended, the “President shall appoint at least one Minister from each State, who shall be an indigene of such State.”
However, out of the 36 states to be represented in the President’s cabinet, 23 states are constitutionally satisfied while states like Katsina and Cross River have two nominees already.
The eleven other states yet to get ministerial nominees are; Adamawa, Bayelsa, Gombe, Kano, Kebbi, Kogi, Plateau, Lagos, Osun, Yobe, and Zamfara.
Though more states are likely to get two ministerial nominees, of the eleven states yet to get any, but five have a very high tendency of getting a male nominee. The odds favour them and are highly-placed among politicians waiting for Tinubu’s signal. These include; Gboyega Oyetola (Osun), Simon Lalong (Plateau), Atiku Bagudu (Kebbi), and NNPP’s presidential candidate, Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso from Kano. The President is also likely to favour James Faleke over any other from Kogi State.
Despite calls for cutting the cost of governance by harmonising some federal Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs), the ounce is still on Tinubu whether to create more ministries or not. Mathematically, should the President decide to have a 42-man cabinet like his predecessor, 35 percent affirmative action can however be achieved if women get higher nominees than their male counterparts in the possible 14 nominees from these 11 states.
Inclusive governance would continue to be a topical conversation because women are pivotal to any electioneering process and must be represented at the decision-making table.
That was the perspective of Aisha Aminu Marafa, she’s the Executive director of Wegirls development foundation, championing the course of women and girls in Nigeria. To her, it’s high time women got more opportunities in political positions that equate their sheer stake and value in national development.
She added that not only does 35 percent affirmative action matters because women are clamouring for it, but because women take front row, by number, in decision at the poll.
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