Zainab Marwa Abubakar, General Buba Marwa and APC-FCT Chairman, Alhaji Abdulmalik Usman, during Zainab’s declaration for AMAC/BWARI Federal Constituency seat.
By Kingsley Omonobi & Omeiza Ajayi
A House of Representatives aspirant for the AMAC/Bwari Federal Constituency in the nation’s capital, Abuja, Zainab Marwa-Abubakar, has decried what he called the continued restriction of women in the nation’s political space.
Speaking at the Abuja office of the All Progressives Congress, APC, where she picked her expression of interest and nomination forms, she said Nigeria currently has four percent of women in elective offices, describing it as a far cry from the trends in other democracies.
“It is a statement of fact that where there is no woman, there is no nation, because for you to progress, you need women. So, the importance of women to governance can never be over emphasized. Hence, there is need to, as a nation, bring women on board. Only 4 percent of our elective posts are held by women. Zero percent governorship. How can we move on like this as a nation without mainstreaming women in governance? The whole world is now focused on gender sensitive governance. So, we need to follow through”, she stated.
Speaking on her aspiration, she said: “At 37, I have the experience. I have worked for so many years, but I was not exactly fulfilled and I kept praying to God and discovered that the only time I get fulfilment was when I am putting smiles on the faces of people and that was why 15 years ago, I launched an NGO to cater for the educational and health needs of the less privileged in the Abuja Municipal Area Council AMAC and Bwari.
“In 2014, some youths came to me and said what I was doing was good but that they would want to see me on a bigger platform. I asked them how, and they said by going to the House of Representatives but in my mind, I felt I wasn’t ready. So, I kept building myself until now that I am ready”.
I didn’t force my daughter into Reps race, says Gen. Marwa
In his remarks, a former Military Administrator of Lagos State and father of the aspirant, Gen. Buba Marwa (retd), clarified that her daughter was not in the race at his behest but of her own volition.
“I have never asked any of my children to take a position or profession because I want them to. Each of them have always taken their own decisions or vocations. Even of I will tell her what to do, it will not be politics because of my own experience”, he said.
Marwa, who is a member of the APC national caucus, also spoke on the 2019 general elections, asking other aspirants to step down for President Muhammadu Buhari.
He said; “You may have noticed recently some defections in the senate. I want to assure you that Buhari stands firm. In November 2017, I was the first to hold a rally in Adamawa state under The Marwa Organization TMO, and I said Buhari and 2019 was a foregone conclusion and I said those who want to be president should start planning for 2023 and I still stand by that. As for the matter of 2019, by God’s grace, it is Buhari
“Last Tuesday night, we met at the national caucus. Exciting new faces appeared there. I sat on the same table with former Govs. Uduaghan, Sullivan Chime, Martin Elechi and Sen. Akpabio. Exciting times. For 2019, we know that the South South and South East will give millions of votes to Buhari not like before. So, more notable members have joined the APC, more than those that left”.
On his part, the APC Chairman in the FCT, Abdulmalik Usman, said the party would play by the rules and not allow its processes to be hijacked by anyone. He hailed the Marwa family for their continued contributions to the development of the party and the nation as a whole.