President Muhammadu Buhari has come under criticism from some women groups who yesterday condemned what they described as low representation of their gender on the list of cabinet nominees submitted to the Senate.
Oduduwa Women Advocacy Group (OWAG), a pan-Yoruba socio-political organisation frowned on the inclusion of only seven women (16.2%) on the list and the non-inclusion of any woman from the southwest geopolitical zone, despite the fact that women account for 47.14% of registered voters.
OWAG National President Modupe Akindele-Martins therefore appealed to the Federal Government to consider appointing more women into positions, stressing that the group would continue to cry out against the marginalization of women, especially the Yoruba, in participatory electoral processes and the sharing of the dividends of democracy.
The group further enjoined other women groups to work together for the actualization of the 30% inclusion of women in policy making. It also congratulated the female nominees, urging them to be good ambassadors of Nigerian women.
Women in Politics (WIP) also expressed concern. Its president, Mrs. Ebere Ifendu, told reporters that the number of women who made the cabinet list “is low and very poor.” She said women were not happy with the list, though the few listed therein were of good character and had achieved much for society.
“We are saying we have many more women that should also be part of this list, considering the promise the president made to women. He said he would work with the Nigerian gender policy, which is about affirmative action. So, what happened to the promises he made to women?”
She said there was the need for the president to fulfil the promise, given the already low number of women in elected offices following the 2019 elections. According to her, 2,970 women contested different positions in the general elections but only 67 were elected across the nation. She said no woman was elected as president, vice president or governor, while only seven were elected to the Senate. Ifendu added that 12 were elected to the House of Representatives and 44 to state Assemblies, and that about 11 states are without female members.
The League of Women Voters of Nigeria (LWVoN) also joined in the criticism, saying: “We are very disappointed that only seven women were on the list of 43 ministerial nominees sent to the Senate for screening and confirmation. To say the least, it is sad and shameful…”
