By Abubakar Yunusa

The Executive Director of Business Development at the Nigerian Export-Import Bank (NEXIM Bank), Dr Stella Okotete, has said that female politicians in Nigeria often viewed her as a threat rather than a partner.

Speaking as a keynote speaker at the Junior Chambers International Business meeting in Abuja on Sunday, in commemoration of International Women’s Day, themed “Empowering Women, Empowering Communities: Accelerating Action Towards Gender Inclusivity”, Okotete reflected on the challenges she faced as a young woman in politics.

A former national women leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Okotete said, “With due respect, the female politicians didn’t want me around them. They saw me as a young woman who was a threat, not as a partner. My ideas were seen as too bold and too daring, and as a result, I was never given opportunities when nominations were being made.”

She explained that when she was appointed APC’s National Women Leader at the age of 36, it was an opportunity to bridge the gap for young women in politics, enabling them to aspire for greatness, showcase their worth, and gain visibility in governance and the public space.

“I initiated the Progressive Young Women’s Forum, which today boasts of having a former minister. Jamila was our president,” she said.

Okotete recounted how her experience in politics led her to create a support system for young women.

“I founded the Young Progressive Forum because, as a young politician, I noticed that, with due respect, female politicians didn’t want me around them. When I was made the National Women Leader, I had to create this platform so that other women would not face the discrimination I faced—from women, not men.”

She became emotional while addressing the audience, saying, “I’m saying this with a heavy heart because I never saw any woman as a threat, and I still don’t today. That is why, when I said there are no two Stellas in Nigeria, I meant it.

“We must stop the ‘table talks’ and tea parties and start taking real action. If we truly want to see more women in government, business, and the economy, we must support each other.”

Okotete warned that women risk being sidelined by men if they do not create spaces for one another to thrive.

“The men will continue to push us aside if we give them the opportunity. While we often blame men, we, as women, must also make it a priority to support each other. Whenever we have the chance, we must ensure other women are given visibility and opportunities.

“History has shown that when women try to block or dim the light of other women, they don’t go far. They are quickly forgotten, and history does not remember them.”

She urged women to take responsibility for fostering inclusivity, saying, “We are here today, not just as members of JCI, but as individuals chosen by fate to be among the few who will shape Nigeria’s future. We must break barriers, shatter glass ceilings, and push for policies that drive development and growth in our nation.”

‘Men must be allies in the fight for gender equality’

Okotete stressed the importance of engaging men and boys as allies in the push for gender equality.

“We must challenge social and cultural norms together. We must also strengthen legal protections and policies, ensuring the enforcement of laws that protect women’s rights, including those against gender-based violence, discrimination, and workplace inequality.

“We must hold institutions accountable for implementing gender-responsive policies. That is why I always try to strike a balance between getting men to work with us and encouraging women to take action for themselves.”

She called on women to foster a culture of mutual support, saying, “We must lead the crusade for gender equality and inclusivity by loving and supporting one another. We must see other women in our workplaces not as competitors, but as sisters and partners.

“When we join forces, we can achieve great things.”

She highlighted the progress made by young women in politics, noting that there are now female commissioners in 20 states, as well as young female legislators in state assemblies and councillors in several APC-governed states.

“We are witnessing a new wave of female leadership in Nigeria, and we must continue to build on this momentum,” she concluded.

… Rejects SDP as platform for coalition
… Says “you don’t fight Tinubu because you’re angry, seeking revenge

By Abubakar Yunusa

Sule Lamido, a former governor of Jigawa state, says the call by Nasir el-Rufai, former governor of Kaduna, to unseat President Bola Tinubu in 2027 should not be based on personal grievances but on national interest.

El-Rufai moved to the Social Democratic Party (SDP) from the All Progressives Congress (APC) on March 10 over what he described as a divergence in values with the ruling party.

He subsequently appealed to opposition leaders, including former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar and Peter Obi, ex-presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP), to join the SDP.

Reacting during an interview with BBC Hausa, Lamido said leadership should be about prioritising the nation’s welfare over personal emotions.

“Leadership is about patience, foresight, and working for the peace of the people and the nation. If you allow emotions to dictate your decisions, you will never lead objectively,” Lamido said.

“If El-Rufai’s goal is to unseat President Bola Tinubu, it should not be based on personal grievances but on national interest.

“We should not fight Tinubu just because we are angry at him or seeking revenge.

“Leadership should be about prioritizing the country’s well-being rather than personal emotions.”

Lamido noted that el-Rufai once said there were no political elders in northern Nigeria, adding that the former Kaduna governor also ignored the role of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in his political career.

“The party we formed, the PDP, is the one that gave birth to El-Rufai,” Lamido said.

“You’re not enough to make us leave the PDP.

“He once said that there are no elders in northern Nigerian politics, but now he is calling on us to join him in the SDP.

“He said he told President Buhari about his decision to leave the APC, but now he is saying that he is one of the elders in Nigerian politics.”

Lamido said if he had any intention of leaving the PDP, he would have done so when APC was formed.

“If I was going to leave the PDP, I would have done so in 2014 when the APC was formed,” he added.

Northern-based socio-cultural group, Gamji Heritage, has scored the President Bola Tinubu-led administration high in its fight against banditry, terrorism and other forms of insecurity.

“I had said before now that we need to commend the federal government, under President Bola Tinubu, for the fight against terrorism, banditry and general insecurity,” the group’s president-general, Ahmed Abdullahi, said in a statement on Sunday.

Mr Abdullahi also advised that the fight should not be left in the hands of the government alone.

The president-general particularly said the north had no other option than to tackle the problems of insecurity, which had posed a serious challenge to the zone headlong.

“Still, there is a lot to be done. There was an exposé in America where President Donald Trump revealed the interference and sponsorship of terrorism by certain agencies of America, especially USAID.

“Our major concern in this matter is to ensure that nothing is done to undermine nations, especially the number one pride of the black race, which is Nigeria.

“Nigeria needs to make progress; Nigeria needs to be at peace, and it needs to develop and advance in the interest of Africa and the black race,’’ he said.

Mr Abdullahi said northerners were now more mindful and security conscious, helping security agencies more than before.

“Take the issue of Katsina State for example; the state government has now established a vigilance outfit which is assisting the security agencies.

“And I want to recommend this for other states because it is working and has succeeded in bringing down the rate of insecurity in the state,’’ he said.

Corroborating the concerns expressed by Mr Trump, Mr Abdullahi said some international NGOs were actually aiding and abetting banditry and terrorism in the north.

“When the state started registering the NGOs in order to closely look into their activities like in Katsina, insurgency activities went down significantly,’’ he said.

On the allegation that some traditional and community leaders were aiding and abetting banditry and terrorism in some parts of the country, he described the development as abominable and unacceptable.