Tinubu promises to pass new laws mandating all governments to reserve 35% of all appointments for women

FORMER Lagos State governor and All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential candidate Asiwaju Bola Tinubu has pledged to pass new laws that will mandate the government to offer at least 35% of all political appointments to women if he gets elected president.

In February next year, Nigeria goes to the polls and Asiwaju Tinubu is one of the frontrunners, alongside Alhaji Atiku Abubakar of the Peoples Democratic Party and Peter Obi of the Labour Party. Publishing his 80-page manifesto titled Renewed Hope 2023 - Action Plan for a Better Nigeria, Asiwaju Tinubu said he will work with the National Assembly to pass a law to increase women’s participation in government to at least 35%.

Asiwaju Tinubu added: “Working with the National Assembly, we will aim to pass legislation promoting female employment in all government offices, ministries, and agencies. The goal will be to increase women’s participation in government to at least 35% of all governmental positions.

“This legislation shall also mandate the federal executive, particularly the cabinet and core senior advisers, to reserve a minimum number of senior positions for women. Private institutions shall be strongly encouraged to do likewise.”

Early this year, lawmakers rejected five gender bills, prompting protests by women at the entrance of the National Assembly in Abuja. For days, the women besieged the entrance of the National Assembly and demanded the reversal of the bills and following the protests, the House of Representatives rescinded its decisions on three out of the five bills.

Also, Asiwaju Tinubu said, that if elected, his administration will reserve minimum of three cabinet positions for Nigerians under the age of 40, while six cabinet positions will be reserved for those under 50. In addition, he added that 20% of political appointments in ministries, departments and agencies, are going to be reserved for qualified people under the age of 40.

“We shall reserve at least three cabinet positions for persons under the age of 40 and six more positions for members under the age of 50. We shall also pass a presidential directive requiring that at least 20% of political appointments to ministries, departments and agencies be reserved for qualified people under the age of forty,” Asiwaju Tinubu added.