Nentawe Yilwatda, National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), says the ruling party will pursue greater representation for women in elective and appointive positions ahead of the 2027 elections.
He spoke on Tuesday while receiving Mary Alile, the APC national women leader, alongside zonal and state women leaders at the party’s national secretariat in Abuja.
Yilwatda said women have remained central to the party’s growth and electoral success and deserve a stronger presence in leadership.
The APC chairman said the party could no longer afford to relegate women to the margins despite their contributions to campaigns, mobilisation and governance.
“You are the pillars of this party in rain and sunshine. During campaigns, you are there. During elections, you are there. In virtually every activity of the party, you are always present and actively involved,” he said.
Yilwatda noted that women had consistently borne much of the burden of party-building and should be adequately represented in legislative, executive and party structures.
Drawing a comparison between women and flowers, Yilwatda said their presence enriches institutions and communities, adding that the APC intends to create more pathways for women to emerge as leaders.
“Women are the flowers, not just of our homes but of our country. When flowers are planted around a house, they bring colour and fragrance. You have brought those qualities to our great party. We want to plant more flowers in our State Houses of Assembly, in the National Assembly and in positions of leadership across the country,” he said.
Yilwatda noted that competence, rather than gender, should determine access to public office, insisting that women within the APC possess the capacity to excel at the highest levels of governance.
“Our party is blessed with women of immense capacity. Being a woman does not make you less than a man. We must empower you. We must strengthen you. We must continue to create opportunities for you to serve and lead,” he said.
Yilwatda also pledged to champion the cause of women within both party and government structures as preparations gradually begin for the next electoral cycle.
“When appointments are being made in 2027, my voice will be there for you. When campaign councils are being constituted, you can be sure of your participation. I will stand behind you all the way,” he said.
The APC chairman further called for a broader interpretation of the federal character principle, arguing that inclusion should not be limited to geographical balancing alone.
“Federal character is not only about where you come from; it is also about gender. We will be your voice and stand firmly with you,” he said.
“We have daughters whose future depends on the decisions we make today. If I do not speak for you now, who will speak for my daughters when their turn comes?”
Earlier, Alile said women remained one of the strongest pillars of the APC and had played a critical role in securing electoral victories for the party across the country.
She said the visit was also an opportunity to formally present newly elected state women leaders and reaffirm the commitment of women stakeholders to the party’s leadership.
“Women have contributed immensely to the electoral successes of our party across the states. We therefore appeal for greater inclusion at all levels of governance because women remain a formidable pillar of the success of our great party and the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu,” she said.
Alile commended Yilwatda for ensuring unity within the party and expressed confidence that his leadership would further strengthen women’s participation in politics and governance.
