KWARA STATE GOVERNOR – ABDULRAHMAN ABDULRAZAQ MAKES HISTORY AS HE APPOINTS 56.3% FEMALE TO HIS CABINET AS COMMISSIONERS: writes Lady Nkiru Celine Okoro – Abuja.

History was made on Wednesday October 23, 2019; with the nomination of nine female out of a 16 member cabinet by Kwara State Executive Governor, ABDULRAHMAN ABDULRAZAQ; surpassing for the first time; the 35% affirmative action recommendations in Nigeria’s extant National Gender policy.

Expectedly, the women’s movement in Nigeria have been agog with praises, sing songs, accolades and worship of this fete, not heard off in the history of Nigeria’s political development and women’s political participation. Several women led groups have issued press releases in print, electronic and social media, commending the Governor for this development and called on the all men member of Kwara State House of Assembly to confirm the female nominees as they present themselves for screening and confirmation on Tuesday October 29, 2019.

Speaking at the press briefing held on Friday October 25, 2019 at Nigerian Union of Journalists House Utako, Abuja by women groups in Nigeria, the Representative of Kwara State Governor in Abuja said that his Excellency was irked by the fact that all members of the current State House of Assembly are men, the three representatives in the federal House of Representative are men, and the three Senators are men. This is coupled with the fact that he as the Governor is a man and his deputy also a man. When asked about women in his state, the Governor made a promise to ensure that at least 50% of his cabinet appointments will be women. It is the fruit of that promise that is being reaped with the current nomination of nine female out of 16 member cabinet.

The text of the Press Release:

PRESS STATEMENT

MORE WOMEN CAMPAIGN GROUP APPLAUDS GOVERNOR ABDULRAHMAN ABDULRAZAQ OF KWARA STATE FOR NOMINATING 56.25% WOMEN IN HIS CABINET.

THE MORE WOMEN CAMPAIGN GROUP writes collaboratively as Nigerian women, professionals and experts representing different regions, ethnicities, economic, social and political allegiances as well as organizations for youths and persons with disabilities.

The group, applauds Governor Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq for nominating 9 women out of his 16-persons cabinet. This gesture will be recorded in history as the first of its kind in Nigeria. This step by Mr. Governor, resounds the yearning of well- meaning Nigerians, home and abroad. The appointment demonstrates his support for women voices and serves as a recognition of their relevance in the society.

We believe that this form of democracy provides the opportunity for open, responsible and accountable system of governance that thrives on the principle that power belongs to the people and that every strata of the society is represented. We have noted with gladness the representation of young people and minority groups within the appointment.

Modeling a best practice of this nature is important for the achievement of Sustainable Development Goals (SDG). We therefore applaud His Excellency breaking the cycle of women’s exclusion in Nigeria. We applaud the All Progressive Congress (APC) for supporting this development in the state and call on all other state Governors, to imbibe the culture of equitable representation for better and prosperous governance.

We call on the distinguished women so appointed to embrace the culture of inclusion, transparency and accountability, to demonstrate the importance of women contributions to good governance.

The More Women Campaign Group appreciates you, Governor Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq for this gesture as it counts for your state and for Nigeria as a progressive feat!

Signed by

1. 100 Women Lobby Group
2. ACTs Generation
3. ADEM Community & Human Development Foundation
4. Adinya Arise Foundation (AAF)
5. Advocate for Health and Development Initiative
6. African Women’s Initiative (AWI)
7. Africanwomannig
8. Ajegunle Community Project
9. Alliances for Africa (Afa)
10. Aminchi Women Cooperative Society
11. Arise Nigerian Woman Foundation
12. ATATA Development and Empowerment Foundation (ADEF)
13. Briskila Emefesi Women Foundation (BEWOF)
14. CEE-HOPE Nigeria
15. Centa for Development
16. Center for Economic Empowerment And Gender Activities Ceega
17. Centre for Alternative Development and Self-Enhancement (CEADESE NG)
18. Centre for Health and Development in Africa (CHEDA)
19. Centre for Nonviolence and Gender Advocacy in Nigeria (CENGAIN)
20. Centre for Peace Education and Community Development
21. Centre for Women’s Health and Information (CEWHIN)
22. Change Managers International Network
23. Charity Women Spring of Salvation
24. Chedal Multi-Purpose Cooperative Society
25. Choung-Dung Women Association.
26. Christian Women for Excellence and Empowerment in Nigerian Society (CWEENS)
27. Christian Women in Nigerian Politics
28. Coalition for Women inclusion in Governance 
29. Community and Youth Development
30. Community Education Advancement of Peace and Development Initiative (CEAPDI)
31. Community Initiative for Healthy and Peaceful Society
32. Community Life Project (CLP)
33. Community Rescue Initiative (CRI)
34. Community Women Initiatives
35. Courageous People Health and Development Initiative (CPHDL)
36. Courageous People Health and Development Initiatives
37. Daria Media Foundation
38. Development in Practice Gender and Entrepreneurial Initiative (DIPGEI)
39. Dorothy Njemanze Foundation
40. Dream Alive Women and Orphans Support Foundation (DAWOS Foundation)
41. Echoes of Women in Africa Initiatives
42. Education as A Vaccine (EVA)
43. Emerge Women
44. Empowerment and Action Research Centre
45. Enough is Enough Nigeria
46. Equality Through Education Foundation ( ETEF)
47. Equity Advocates (EA)
48. Equity Advocates/ The Woman Today Newspaper
49. FAME Foundation
50. Federation of Informal Workers of Nigeria (FIWON)
51. Federation of Muslim Women Association in Nigeria (FOMWAN)
52. Federation of Paralegal Network (FEDPAN)
53. Federation of Women Lawyers (FIDA)
54. Fembridge Development Initiative (FEDI)
55. First Future Leadership
56. Forward in Action For Education, Poverty And Malnutrition (FACE-PAM)
57. Gender Action Awareness Trust (GAT)
58. Gender Advocacy for Justice Initiative (GAJI)
59. Gender and Constitution Reform Network (GECORN)
60. Gender and Development Action (GADA)
61. Gender and Environmental Risk Reduction Initiative (GERI)
62. Gender Awareness Trust (GAT)
63. Gender Development Initiative
64. Gender Equality Center
65. Gender Equality, Peace and Development Centre
66. Gender Technical Unit (GTU)
67. Girl Child Advocacy and Education Initiatives
68. Girl Child Africa
69. Girl Child Education, Care & Rehabilitation
70. Girl Education Rehabilitation and Care (GERAC)
71. Green Spring Development Initiative
72. Hadis Foundation
73. Heal Disability Initiative
74. Health Reform Foundation of Nigeria (HERFON)
75. HEIR Women Development
76. Hope for New Life
77. Initiative for Research, Innovation and Advocacy in Development (IRIAD)
78. Inter Africa Committee (IAC)
79. Inter Gender Peace Foundation
80. International Action Network on Small Arms Women Network of Nigeria
81. International Hairstylists, Barber and Body Therapists (IHSTOBAN)
82. International Society of Media in Public Health (ISMPH)
83. Iyaniwura Children Care Foundation
84. Jamatul Nasir Islam, Women Wing
85. Jana Health Foundation
86. Justice Development and Peace Commission (JDPC)
87. Justice Development and Peace Mission (JDPM)
88. K/Mashi Gamji Women
89. Kebetkache Women Development and Resources Centre
90. Kimpact Initiatives
91. Kudirat Initiative for Democracy (KIND)
92. League of Queens International Empowerment
93. Lift Initiative
94. MBULA Women Association
95. Media & Teens Network.
96. Media Concern Initiative
97. Mojubaolu Olufunke –Okome
98. More Women in Politics
99. Nasrul – Lahi-L- Faith Society (NASFAT)
100. National Association of Women Journalist (NAWOJ)
101. National Council of Women Societies (NCWS)
102. Network of Reproductive Health Journalists of Nigeria, NRHJN
103. Next Initiative for Gender Actions (NIGA)
104. NGAS Women Farmers’ Cooperative Society
105. Nigeria Association of Women Journalist (NAWOJ)
106. Nigeria Labour Congress, Women Committee
107. Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT)
108. Nigeria Women Trust Fund
109. Nigerian League of Women Voters
110. Nigerian Women Politics Forum
111. Nigerian Women Trust Fund (NTWF)
112. Ogayem Merciful Care and Support Initiatives (OMCSI)
113. Ogun Women Alive
114. Omowumi Asubiaro Dada
115. Onomese Foundation
116. Osi Joe Touching Lives Initiative
117. Ovie Brume Future Leadership Development
118. Partners West Africa
119. Peasant Dragnet
120. Proactive Gender Initiative (PGI)
121. Project Alert on Violence Against Women
122. Rays of Hope Community Foundation
123. Relief Development Initiative Kaduna
124. Responsible Citizenship and Human Development Initiative
125. South- South Professional Women Association
126. Stephanie Peace Building Development Foundation
127. Support for Needy Children and Women Initiative (SUNCHI)
128. SWOFON National Abuja
129. The Inclusion Project (TIP)
130. The Priceless Jewels Foundation
131. Transformation and Development Center (TDC)
132. Transition Monitoring Group
133. Tunde & Friends Foundation (TAFF)
134. UC Women Commission
135. Vision Spring Initiatives (VSI)
136. Voice of Ogun Women (VOW)
137. WADHI
138. West African Network for Peacebuilding (WANEP Nigeria)
139. Widows Development Organization (WiDo)
140. Woman-Being Concern Nigeria
141. Women & Youth Awareness Empowerment Network (WOYAEN)
142. Women Advocacy, HIV Prevention and Other Diseases (WAHPOD)
143. Women Advocates Research And Documentation Center (WARDC)
144. Women Aid Collectives (WACOL)
145. Women and Youth Empowerment for Advancement and Health Initiative (WYEAHI)
146. Women Consortium of Nigeria (WOCON)
147. Women Empowerment and Initiative Development
148. Women Entrepreneurs Association of Nigeria (WEAN)
149. Women Environmental Programme (WEP)
150. Women Farmers Alliance
151. Women for Peace and Gender Equality Initiative
152. Women for Peace and Gender Equality Initiative (WOPEGEE)
153. Women Foundation Initiative
154. Women Foundation of Nigeria (WFN)
155.       Women in Africa Initiative
156.       Women in Agriculture
157.      Women in Mining
158.       Women in Politics Forum (WIPF)
159.       Women Information Network (WINET)
160.       Women Initiative for Democracy and Empowerment (WIDE)
161.       Women Law Development Center of Nigeria (WLDCN)
162.       Women Lead Agric
163.       Women League For Peace And Freedom (WILPF)
164.       Women of Vision Development Initiative
165.       Women Protection Organization (WOPO)
166.      WOMEN RADIO 91.7
167.       Women Wing of the Christian Association of Nigeria (WOWICAN)
168.       Women, Infants and Children Care Initiative (WICCI)
169.       Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom (WILPF)
170.       Women’s Right to Education Programme
171.       Women’s Rights and Health Project (WRAHP)
172.     Women’s Right to Education Programme (WREP)
173.       Youth Future Savers Initiative
174.   Integrates Women Youth Empowerment Center (IWAYEC)
175.  Women for Peace and Unity Growth Initiative (WPUGI)
176.  Positive Women Development Initiative (POWI)

For further correspondence, kindly contact Dr Abiola Akiyode -Afolabi and Ms. Felicia Onibon at Suite No. 87, Third Floor De Avalon Plaza, Along Peace Mass Motors, Utako, Abuja or 9b James Oluleye Street, Harmony Enclave, Adeniyi Jones, Lagos.