She is a woman with special abilities, an amiable personality and a perfect combination of beauty and charisma. She is the woman leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Kwara State and plays a vital role in the mobilization of women when it comes to politics in the state. She spoke with KEHINDE AKINPELU, on the controversy surrounding office of first lady in Nigeria as well as the roles, place and responsibility of women in politics.

Can we meet you?

I'm Hajia Nimota Sulaiman, the woman leader of APC in Kwara State.

What are expectations of women from the incoming President, Muhammadu Buhari?

Firstly, I thank God that the President that will rule Nigeria is from our party. Our labours at campaigns were crowned with success at the state and federal levels. Having said this; I want to plead with President Muhammadu Buhari to fully implement the 35 percent affirmative action for women. No doubt, our women played significant role in the electioneering campaign and so they deserve the right place in the scheme of things. By way of appointments, empowerment, social security to the aged and to women in general. In addition, we need to know that women constitute the largest percentage of Nigerian population, so with this, we expect that women are accorded better respect in national matters.

I am particularly saddened by what happened in Taraba to our only female governorship candidate, Senator Aishat Alhassan. I see it as men rising against her, it is very bad. We should have a situation where men and women operate on equal right and platform in the scheme of things. Women have all it takes to compete favourably with men, It is high time Nigerians get matured in politics like America where Hilary Clinton, is warming up for the 2016 general elections. In Germany, the Chancellor is a female and has won the seat for a second term. Our case should not be different here, and why can't the men give one seat to one woman out of 36 state governors? It is too bad. So I'm appealing to the President-elect to look into the issue of women and place them effectively where they will be able to render their supportive roles effectively, not just women affairs; It has always been men alone occupying chairmanship of boards, parastatals etc, if you empower a man, you empowered just one person, but if its a woman, you have empowered a nation; if you educate a woman you have educated a whole nation not necessarily just 35% placement, it can be more even up to 45%. What women went through during the campaigns is enough to make them earn a good place in the scheme of things. Whatever you give to a woman is not a waste but an act of nation building. Though they say men are bread winners but it is the women who know where the shoe pinches. We women are the ones left at home with the children. At work, we are the ones the men look up to for peace to reign and for support. So adequate empowerment is what women deserve, nothing less. When there is a crisis, the women are at the receiving end, so women are no nonentities but invaluable partners in planning and execution of national development plans. If the men folk push us better into limelight, they would enjoy the contributions we can make in helping their efforts. What a man can do, a woman can do it much better in our own way. So I am imploring the President-elect to give women a try and see how we would deliver to expectations and all will be well for this nation.

But we have seen women also being at the forefront of corrupt practices in Nigeria, so..?

(cuts in) What is the ratio of men in corrupt practices compared to the number of women? Less than one percent if not less! I need not mention names, we all read in the papers and hear in the news, and the evil acts of men are not heralded as that of women. Even religious places of worship celebrate these thieving men, the society celebrate them I am not saying women should be spared when they betray public trust, such women are no good representation of women and that negligible proportion of bad eggs among women should not be used as a yard stick to condemn women from exhibiting their God given potentials. So those women who are fingered in corrupt practices are on their own, it is their cup of tea. Corruption is not in the character of women, we teach our children good morals and decent upbringing, so when you see isolated cases of women in corrupt practices; know that it is an abnormality. Women are known for uprightness, transparency and sincerity. Women have large heart and have passion for whatever they do. When it comes to trust, it is the women that you can rely on; if you have a duty to perform and you need people, by the time men had left you, you cannot know, they will still pretend, but when a woman is with you, it is easy to know and when she departs, she would openly display it; women don’t betray trust. The Almighty Allah has a valuable place for women, so our men should take a cue from this.

The President-elect was quoted as saying he might not recognize the office of the first lady, how do you react to this?

General Muhammadu Buhari is a man of high integrity and wisdom; being who he is, he might have his own reasons that are his belief and his passion. To be sincere, the office of first lady is not constitutionally created but the supportive roles being played by the first ladies to their husbands cannot be under estimated. It is these women that relate with other women, giving succor to the women, the down trodden, but if the President-elect decides otherwise, I wont blame him. Going by the experience with the outgoing first lady, I don’t want to mention names; by her conduct she created so many problems for women in this country. She abused her office to the detriment of the down trodden women in Nigeria. She amassed wealth for herself adding salt to the injury of women in Nigeria. You cannot compare this woman with the likes of Hajia Turai Yar’Adua and the woman who brought us out of the kitchen, Mrs Maryan Babangida of blessed memory. See the way she comported herself with decency and carried her Better Life for Rural Women project in a way that all women even in rural areas know that something is happening in Abuja. That woman demonstrated vision and she used the opportunity given her to do things the way we can never forget her. So if you place Maryam Babangida side by side with what Patience Jonathan is doing now you will see a wide gap of incompatibility. We have never had it so bad in this country; let me be frank with you, this woman created most problems for her husband and she is a major factor in the failure of her husband. She is too vocal; she wants to be heard where wise women would keep quiet and just observe things. She would put her mouth where she has no business talking. She went ahead imposing candidates for governorship. Imagine the first lady of the nation keeping grudges with governors of so many states, what is her business in that? An office that is not backed constitutionally and should be run on low profile, she was running with impunity. That office is an office to display social responsibility towards women folks, the down trodden and the less privileged in our society. It is not an office to hijack power from the Governor or the President. So, General Muhammadu Buhari knows what is good for Nigeria, he has been there before and knows what to do appropriately at least he knows that women supported his course very much.

But there is this notion that women should not participate in politics, what is your take on this?

I don't believe in such! How would people say women should not participate in politics, can the men do it all alone? Politics is not meant for men alone. God created us equal but with different roles to play for the society to move forward. Whether you are male or female, every one created by Almighty Allah deserves the right and opportunity to serve their people; we all have a responsibility to our society. We have social responsibility, corporate responsibility as well as all possible responsibility ordained by God. Women are entitled to every public office that the men can occupy. You cannot quantify or value the passion that women put into what they do, these you can't find in men. It is only in women you can find the right sense of humility, compassion, motherhood and discipline. When a woman holds and office and when a man holds same office, you can't compare the results at the end of their tenures.

But women despite their numerical advantage don’t seem to support themselves when aspiring to public offices, do you notice that?

It is true, I am a victim of this too but it is the men that caused this. The poverty line is so wide; here in Nigeria. It is about 75 percent to 25 ratio of women to men living in poverty. The men use this poverty awareness to get at women; so by the time they are given just a peanuts and cajoled, they fall back to support the men. Also, the level of education and awareness is very low. Women competing with the men do not have the financial capability to stand shoulder to shoulder with the men; so this is a great problem. Aside these, there are cultural and religious impediments, but gradually Nigerians are getting past all that. What is left now is the issue of jealousy and envy and I believe that with time all these will fade away as the level of awareness increases and our women get better enlightened. That is why the men should help us to ensure that our voices are heard loud and clear that the woman has very vital roles to play in nation building.

What message do you have for women across the country?

My advice is like a plea that women should please support the incoming regime of President Muhammadu Buhari at all levels. The support we gave him during the campaigns is not the end; we should support him till he succeeds in building a new Nigeria for us all. Because it is not over until it is over. No doubt he would introduce the War Against Discipline, (WAI), again, we have a role to play in making it work so that we can have a better society. Also women should imbibe the culture of supporting our women folk, stop this attitude of envy and jealousy, we need to get matured. Also I am urging women wherever they are to come out and let their voices be heard in the act of governance. If you are not there, you cannot know what happens there. Refuse to be placed at the background, come out and make your voices heard. We have a population advantage; let us use this to uplift our women to greatness. I am sure that with the continued support of women in Nigeria, President Muhammadu Buhari will succeed and even be there for 2019 insha Allah.