The Centre for Leadership Legacy International has raised the alarm over the perceived marginalisation of the Defunct Tinubu/Shettima Women’s Presidential Campaign Council, a key bloc within the All Progressives Congress (APC), despite their instrumental role in securing the party’s victory in the 2023 presidential election.
The Centre has also urged President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, First Lady Oluremi Tinubu, Vice President Kashim Shettima, and his wife to take immediate and decisive action to heed to advice and integrate the group’s members into the government, not only as a matter of fairness but also to foster trust and ensure a stable future.
The organisation emphasised that the appeal was intended to prompt President Tinubu to acknowledge and appreciate the significant contributions of these women, and to ensure their meaningful integration into key roles in government, thereby fostering a culture of inclusivity, recognition, and equal opportunities.
The call was contained in a statement signed by the Centre’s Lead Director, Comrade Omonu Gowon-Nelson, highlighting significant sacrifices, including financial contributions and personal risks, to support the party’s success from the campaigns to the general elections.
According to Comrade Omonu, a recent investigation carried out by the Centre, revealed the discontentment among “members from the defunct Tinubu/Shettima Women’s Presidential Campaign Council, despite their loyalty, dedication, and commitment to the party’s cause.”
He said: “The defunct campaign team, headed by the trio former First Lady Aisha Buhari and co-led by Senator Remi Tinubu and Mrs. Nana Shettima, Vice President’s wife, in the build up to the 2023 general elections, never anticipated the treatment they would face from the very administration they worked assiduously to elect, despite their sacrifices.
“We at the Centre for Leadership, recognise the vital role these group of women played in the party’s victory, and are compelled by our commitment to democratic principles, believing that a fair reward system should be an ingrained culture of this administration, rather than a privilege reserved for a select few who have contributed little or nothing to party’s success.”
He expressed worries that there have been muted complaints that the Defunct Tinubu/Shetimma women’s campaign groups, who actively supported the party during the elections, “have been neglected and left to fade into obscurity, only to be remembered when their support is needed again in the next election cycle.”
He lamented that “the President’s approach to recognising and rewarding contributions has been woefully inadequate and dismissive of the women’s tireless efforts and sacrifices, especially after the elections.”
Comrade Omonu maintained that those who labour in promoting a political party’s vision and agenda during elections should be the first to reap the rewards of their efforts when appointments are made, provided they possess the necessary qualifications and expertise to excel in their roles.
