I was first governor with female deputy, will empower more women as president – Tinubu

National Leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Asiwaju Bola Tinubu has promised more notable roles for women if he becomes Nigeria’s president.

Tinubu was speaking when he received a delegation comprising the party’s Zonal and State Women Leaders who paid a courtesy call on him in Abuja on Friday.

In a statement by his media office, the former Lagos State governor said he believed women should not be confined to the shadows, rather they should be empowered in all social, economic and political spheres.

“I do not believe that women should be confined to the shadows. Rather, I believe that by empowering women in all social, economic and political spheres, we invite exponential social, economic and political growth in Nigeria,” Tinubu said.

He urged the women to actively play their role in the realisation of the party’s progressive ideals, asking them to join him to make the APC function as its best incarnation.

“You are the nexus between the party’s leadership and its grassroots membership, particularly its female membership and you hold significant power over the direction of our party both in your communities and at the national level,” he added.

The APC leader also urged them “to partner with me to create an unbeatable coalition that will win the general elections in February 2023 for all APC candidates, including, I hope, a record number of women.”

He equally reminded the women that he was the first governor to select a woman as his deputy and also the only leading Nigerian politician whose wife is a Senator.

“Remi is, in fact, a third term Senator who achieved this feat through her hard work and consistent record of excellent representation and humble service in her constituency.

 “My administration will focus on empowering more women to enter fields traditionally seen as the sole preserve of their male counterparts.

“I endorse[s] our party’s decision to offer nomination forms to female candidates for free.

“I particularly support the party’s stated ambition to see that at least one third of its membership in the National Assembly is made up of female legislators,” he added.

The Zonal Women Leader (South-west) of APC, Hon. Yetunde Adesanya, thanked Asiwaju for receiving them, stating that as a founding leader of the party and former governor of Lagos State with proven track record, the women were optimistic that with him as president come 2023, the fortune of the womenfolk will change considerably.