• We’ll benefit more from inclusive government – Deputy gov

From Sola Ojo, Abuja

The first female Majority Leader in the Kaduna State House of Assembly (KSHA) and North-West assemblies, Hon Munira Suleiman Tanimu has said women in politics are not there to work against men politicians.

She said rather, they are there to offer their support to ensure all ‘ts’ are crossed and all ‘is’ are doted in terms of planning and implementation of all-inclusive public programmes.

Speaking on the sideline of a one-day capacity-building workshop for elected female officials organized by the Kaduna State House of Assembly, Office of the Majority Leader, Munira harped on the need for men, including husbands and fathers, to help their wives and daughters, fulfil their passion which may be in politics.

According to her, “It is so sad that women are still underrated in politics. I think this has been going on for quite some time. There’s a lot of dialogue and discussions about this same issue, and we’re still not there yet.

“For example, I’m the only female representative in the Kaduna State House of Assembly and the entire northwest Nigeria.

“You can imagine if there are more voices of women in the House here, bills that would support women and children would be flying left, right, and centre.

“But because I’m the only female, it will take a long time before any bill related to women can scale through.

“The truth is, finding myself in a men-dominated political environment has not been easy. Of course, it’s challenging. I contested about three times before I got elected.

“So if young women would take this as inspiration, they will also get to where I am today. A lot of women try once and then back off. I think with consistency and, of course, determination, they’ll get there someday.

“And, we want our men to support us. We are not against men in any way. We just want to be there to contribute our quota to the development of our country”, she said.

The Deputy Governor of the State, Dr Hadiza Balarabe, reiterated the commitment of the current administration in the state to run an all-inclusive government.

“My fellow sisters, we need to acknowledge the truths that often remain unspoken; the standard by which we are measured is rarely the same as our male colleagues.

“We face the scrutiny that extends to our appearance, our family choices, our tone of voice, and even our facial expressions.

“Our paths to leadership positions were strewn with obstacles invisible to others, questions about our family commitments, doubts about our resilience, assumptions about our capabilities that would never be directed at our male counterparts.

“These challenges are not merely burdens to bear—they are the forge in which our unique leadership is tempered. Remember this, we did not emerge as leaders just for being women.

“We were given these positions because our communities recognized that our experiences as women have equipped us with exactly the skills and perspectives needed for this moment in history.

“You must, therefore, stand in the fullness of your power and speak with the authentic voice that earned you the right to be in leadership position”, she encouraged.

On his part, Speaker, KSHA, Rt Hon Aminu Yusuf Liman, said the idea of electing a female as majority leader in the house was to encourage women in politics and public positions.

“That is why I’m here to give commendation remarks for the programs organized by my Majority Leader Hon Munira, the first female Majority Leader in the North-West.

“As you are well aware, she is not just the Majority Leader, but she is also a very impactful, courageous, and supportive person in the House.

“That is why she invited not only the councillors but also the appointees of the entire state to see how they could encourage more women to be part of political activities.

“The goal is to harness their potential and see how they can take the state to another milestone”, Mr Speaker said.