Since 1999 return to democratic practice in Nigeria, National Women leaders of ruling political parties particularly the People’s Democratic Party that ruled between 1999-2015 for consecutive sixteen years, had installed the party’s serving or former National Women leaders as automatic cabinet ministers, to further protect the interest of women and improved the usual clamour for gender equality as well as political exigency.
Having sustained the laudable decisions, the main opposition party , All Progressive Congress APC that later won elections in 2015 also toed the same line of action by installing a former National Woman Leader as a cabinet Minister in the current dispensation.
This was the order of the day, except for the immediate past APC National Woman Leader under the dissolved Oshiomole led National Working Committee NWC , Hajia Salamatu Baiwa Umar-Eluma who aside did not serve out her term in office due to unforseen circumstances, was still in the waiting list to be honored as Minister of Federal Republic of Nigeria.
Although, the decisions was not out of oversight, but based on the political situations, calculations and environment the current administration of President Muhammadu Buhari , whose strong believe in continuity is unwavering and desiring.
The natural decisions to honor former National Women Leaders of the serving political parties in Nigeria will not be an exception in the case of the current scenario involving the former APC National Woman Leader, Hajia Salamatu Baiwa Umar-Eluma.
Baiwa , a strong member of the Presidential campaign council of All Progressives Congress, APC PCC that campaigned vigorously in her capacity and position also delivered her polling units, ward, local government and state to the the party in the last general elections for 2023.
Having won the election at both state and national level, the axe naturally falls on her as deservedly a cabinet Minister from Kogi State dually as former APC National Woman Leader and an active member of the party for a gender sensitive incoming administration.
Her resume speaks volume in both the private and public service before joining politics and was elected as National Woman Leader, as she also worked vigorously to unseat the then ruling People’s Democratic Party PDP in 2015 and 2019 from indepth knowledge and hay wire women campaigns that led to the victory of the party seamlessly in the previous two and now the last February 25 and March 18 presidential and National Assembly, as well as State Governors and House of Assemblies elections in states.
Going by the current agitations of who becomes who in the cabinet of the incoming President, Asiwaju Ahmed Bola Tinubu and the general slogan of ‘EMILOKAN’ propounded by the President- elect based on his contributions to the success of the party and the Nigerian state, no doubt , the immediate elected former APC National Woman Leader, Hajia Salamatu Baiwa Umar-Eluma deserved to be appointed as Minister in the next dispensation.
This is natural, divine and timely looking into the antecedents and records of National Women Leaders to mention but few in the category of Mrs Josephine Anenih, Hajia Maina Waziri, and Hajia Ramotu Tijanni Aliyu, the current Minister of FCT.
It is the hope of Nigerians and in line with the best practices, justice and equity to appoint the immediate past elected APC National Woman Leader, Hajia Salamatu Baiwa Umar-Eluma who has putting in her best both in service and out of service of the ruling party, as the real and genuine ‘EMILOKAN’.
We hereby appeal to the President elect, Asiwaju Ahmed Bola Tinubu to study the records in fairness and justice,as well as political consideration towards appointing her as cabinet Minister in the new brand administration coming up in May 29, 2023.
*ABUBAKAR YUSUF, a Public Affairs Analyst writes from Abuja and can be reached on [email protected].
