Female chief executive officers of federal government agencies on Thursday visited the national chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Nentawe Yilwatda at the party’s national secretariat in Abuja, where they pledged support for the party and the administration of President Bola Tinubu.
According to a statement signed by Abimbola Tooki, special adviser to the party’s chairman on media and communications strategy, the delegation was led by Abike Dabiri-Erewa, chairman and chief executive officer of the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission.
According to a statement issued by the office of the APC national chairman, the delegation comprised 37 women who head federal agencies and parastatals.
The visit, the statement said, provided an opportunity for the women to present their work in government, show support for the party leadership and call for increased participation of women in politics.
Members of the delegation included Aisha Rimi of the Nigerian Investment Promotion Commission, Temitope Ilori of the National Agency for the Control of AIDS, Olubunmi Kuku of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria, Zubaida Umar of the National Emergency Management Agency and Binta Bello of the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons.
Others were Mojoyinoluwa Dekalu-Thomas of the Nigerian Electricity Liability Management Company, Nonye Ayeni of the Nigerian Export Promotion Council and Tola Akerele of the National Theatre Nigeria.
During the meeting, the women said they have contributed to governance and development at the community level. They said women play a key role in political mobilisation across the country.
They also said women often face challenges in politics, including limited funding, lack of political backing and low representation in leadership positions.
The delegation said women make up a large part of the voting population in Nigeria and remain active in mobilisation for the APC. They pledged to continue mobilisation activities as the country moves toward the next election cycle.
The women also thanked President Tinubu for appointing women to leadership roles in government. They, however, asked for more gender balance in political appointments and party structures.
Speaking on behalf of the delegation, Mrs. Dabiri-Erewa said the group came together to support one another and highlight the work of women in government.
She said the women are committed to supporting the APC and the Tinubu administration and would contribute to the party’s activities ahead of the 2027 general elections.
In his response, Chairman Yilwatda congratulated the women on their appointments and said the party recognises the role of women in political participation and mobilisation.
He urged them to take part in party programmes and activities and to share information about their work in government.
Yilwatda also said the names of members of the delegation would be included in committees for the next APC national convention.
He said the party would support initiatives aimed at increasing the participation of women in politics and governance.
The APC chairman also told the delegation that the party has a membership database that can help in reaching women at the community level for mobilisation and political participation.
He assured the delegation that the party leadership would continue to work with them to increase the participation of women in the APC.
The meeting ended with both sides expressing readiness to work together to mobilise women and support the party ahead of future elections.
