A Coalition of Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) has appealed to the President, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, to appoint one of them, Halimat Adenike Tejuosho, as a Minister.
Speaking on behalf of the 100 coalition groups at a meeting in Arewa House Kaduna on Saturday, Comrade Aliyu Muhammad Sani maintained that their main aim of organizing the press conference was to join several other groups and individuals to drum support for one of them, Halimat Adenike Tejuosho to be considered as a minister of Humanitarian Affairs.
“Today we join PWDs across the 36 states and FCT as well APC PWDs leaders in the 36 states and all other stakeholders like Senators, APC stalwarts, the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS), National Youth Council of Nigeria (NYCN), credible and objective observers and youth parliaments across the country who have been agitating and consulting widely for the appointment of this seasoned personality.
“As a selfless patriot who has be using her personal resources to bring succour to senior citizens, PWDs and the less privileged through her well thought out Queen Adenike Tejuosho Foundation (QATFoundation), giving her a position of responsibility in line with her passion and interest will energize her to do more for the downtrodden of our society.
“As a mark of true philanthropy, the quintessential lady recently celebrated Children’s Day with vulnerable and indigent children where over 500 school books, bags, shoes, water bottles, foodstuffs and writing materials were shared.
“Her Ramadan largesse to over 1000 PWDs as well as Sallah packages to hundreds of households who could not afford to celebrate the festivities cannot be forgotten,” he added.
Judging by all the individual sacrifices and the sheer passion to touch lives, the Coalition appealed to Mr President to urgently consider filling the vacuum created by the suspension of Dr Betta Edu by appointing Dame Halimat Adenike Tejuosho as the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation to enable Nigerians to enjoy the dividends of democracy in line with the Renewed Hope Agenda, especially in the area of poverty alleviation.
“It goes without saying that since the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation has been without a Minister, the government is failing in providing basic succour to the less privileged.
“From her antecedents and if given the opportunity, Hajiya Halimat Adenike Tejuosho will continue to extend her generosity and passion to bring a turnaround in the fortunes of the less privileged and downtrodden in Nigeria”, the text noted.
On the argument that Halimat Adenike Tejuosho is not from the South-South region where the former Minister hailed from, the Coalition stated that Adenike Tejuosho’s maternal home is actually from Delta State which makes her a full-blooded South-South person even though her father is from Lagos State.
“We do not want to trivialize the issue of origin and region as competence and merit should trump over issues of origin and other differences that only serve to divide rather than unite us.
“It is, therefore, our earnest appeal to Mr President to consider appointing this noble, hardworking and dedicated humanitarian and party stalwart as Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation”, he added.
The Coalition reiterated the support and efforts made by the PWD community in Nigeria who have worked for the election of Mr President and appealed to him to grant their only wish.