The First Lady, Sen. Oluremi Tinubu, on Friday hosted members of the National Assembly to a special dinner at the State House Banquet Hall.
The dinner also witnessed an interactive session focused on solutions to the state of the nation.
Mrs Tinubu used the occasion to plead for the passage of the Gender Parity Bill, also known as the Reserved Seats for Women Bill, currently before the legislature.
She also canvassed deeper engagement between the legislature and the presidency in order to promote national development.
Amid the security challenges across the country, the First Lady acknowledged the leaders’ commitment to the nation and to the democratic values they collectively uphold for Nigeria.
Truthng reports that guests at the dinner included Vice President Kashim Shettima.
Also present were Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, and Speaker of the House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas.
Gov. Hope Uzodinma of Imo State was also at the dinner.
The gathering, according to the First Lady, was for dialogue and reflection on Nigeria’s democratic future and the centrality of women’s participation.
The First Lady said that the Gender Parity Bill offered a historic opportunity for Nigeria to reposition its democracy and strengthen national development.
“I have watched with keenness in recent months as various interest groups across our beloved nation, and even international bodies, have gathered momentum in support of this particular bill.
“Is it indeed possible for this bill to scale through? Yes, if not today, someday.
” If we do this now, the 10th Assembly will go down in the history of our legislature as the set that stood for women when it counted the most,” she said.
The First Lady urged lawmakers to seize the moment to “take care of our girls and boys.”
She said the current challenges facing millions of children, especially the girl-child and vulnerable boys in the Almajiri system, underscored the need for inclusive reforms.
“In the past few days, our nation has faced a lot of assault, especially as it concerns the future of the education of the girl-child.
