Protesters on Friday gathered at the Federal Secretariat in Abuja, moving to the offices of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation and the Ministry of Women Affairs.
They called on President Bola Tinubu and the Head of Service, Mrs. Didi Esther Walson-Jack, to dismiss demands for the removal of the Minister of Women Affairs, Hajiya Imaan Suleiman-Ibrahim.
The rally came shortly after a different protest staged by some civil servants who had accused the minister of neglecting their welfare. Friday’s demonstration, however, was organised to defend the minister, with participants insisting that calls for her removal were politically driven.
Led by Emmanuel Lawal, Director of Public Enlightenment at the Centre for Accountability and Public Engagement, the protesters described the earlier demonstration as untrue and aimed at tarnishing the image of both the minister and the Federal Government. They accused certain groups of trying to use civil servants to create unrest and portray Suleiman-Ibrahim in a negative light.
The demonstrators stated that the Minister of Women Affairs was carrying out reforms in line with President Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda and should be allowed to continue her work. They pledged their support for her and vowed to resist attempts to discredit her through repeated protests and allegations.
According to them, some individuals from Suleiman-Ibrahim’s home state of Nasarawa and from Abuja had allegedly sponsored the opposition against her. They claimed these actions were aimed at distracting her from her responsibilities and creating unnecessary tension.
The protesters concluded by calling on the minister to remain committed to her duties, stressing that Nigerians were aware of her efforts and that she should not be discouraged by what they described as politically motivated moves against her.