First Lady Pushes For Women’s Reserved Seats

First lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, has met with members of the National Assembly on the Reserved Seats for Women Bill and other  national Issues.

She said in her welcome remarks at the dinner with the legislators that the recent concerns about the future of the education of the girl-child was an assault being faced by the nation.

“In the past few days, our nation had faced a lot of assault, especially as it concerns the future of the education of the girl child. The boys, on the other hand, through the almajiri system, are deprived of basic necessities like food, clothing and shelter under the guise of noble Islamic education.

“This deprivation opens them up to be lured into the wrong hands and the likelihood of being drafted into extremist groups in the fake promise of a better life.

“This is why we must prioritise reforms that restore dignity, provide safe learning environments, and ensure every child has a fair chance to thrive.

“Tonight presents us a unique opportunity to explore the future of our children, especially through women’s representation across the country, particularly with regard to the Reserved Seats for Women Bill before the National Assembly,” the first lady said.

Mrs. Tinubu pointed out that the dinner was not called as a social gathering, adding; “I have watched with keenness in recent months as various interest groups across our beloved nation, and even international bodies, have gathered momentum in support of this particular bill.

“The question is, is the topic of this discussion new? Definitely no, I believe we have gone round in circles on this particular issue for so long.

I ask myself, is this bill indeed possible to scale through?

“Yes, if not today, someday, and absolutely so. But if we do this now, the 10th assembly will go down in the history of our legislature as the set that stood for women when it counted the most. This is the time to take care of our girls and boys,” she said.

Vice President Kashim Shettima if the bill scales through, it would go a long way in helping the nation legislate more appropriately on security issues because women have been known to be more empathic.

“Democracy thrives where there is understanding. I believe this bill is what we need to help us better in our quest for solutions to some national issues. The heart of a mother cannot be wrong,” he said.

Various speakers harped on the role of women in finding a lasting solution to the security challenges of the nation as they are usually affected the most, among others.

Senate President Sen. Godswill Akpabio, declared that the gathering should not be misconstrued.