Former governor of Rivers State, Rotimi Amaechi, has promised that women will fill half of all federal cabinet slots under his administration should he emerge President of Nigeria in 2027.
Amaechi made the pledge on Monday in Lagos while speaking as the Special Guest of Honour at the inauguration of the Nigeria chapter of the World Women Organisation.
He said the move is central to his governance blueprint, insisting that leadership must be defined by competence, not gender.
The former governor, who declared his 2027 presidential ambition on the platform of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) in August 2025, said women’s inclusion would be visible and measurable from day one of his potential presidency.
Amaechi explained that the federal cabinet, which typically consists of about 42 ministers, would be evenly split.
“There will be 21 male and 21 female,” Amaechi said, adding that gender must never be used to question ability.
He also noted that part of the representation would include young women in governance, saying, “10 or 11 will go to the youths,” with the remaining positions distributed among women from different age brackets and backgrounds.
Amaechi emphasised that women must understand that cabinet roles are not symbolic tokens but earned seats.
“Women must know that it’s not because they are women. It’s because they are equipped,” he said.
He added that even lawmakers, young leaders, and political allies must be assigned roles based on readiness and capacity, not on compassion.
Speaking further, Amaechi referenced past legislative reforms he supported as former Speaker of the Rivers Assembly, linking to widow protection laws that helped curb harmful cultural practices.
He warned that discriminatory norms remain a central block against women’s progress and minimal access to education.
He also raised concern about women slowing themselves down through avoidable internal conflict, noting that unity would build wider support for inclusion. He added, “If women stop fighting themselves, men will be encouraged.”
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