APC women leaders across all the 57 Local Government and Local Council Development Areas in Lagos recently paid a courtesy visit on the deputy governor of the state, Dr Oluranti Adebule , where they are all united and demanded for involvement of more women in governance across the country.
Speaking through the Lagos State APC Woman leader, Hon Jumoke Okoya-Thomas, the women wing of the APC ruling party noted there were more women qualified for different political offices like their men counterparts than the numbers allocated to them across the land.
In a release signed by Odusina Akeem of the Public Affairs Unit, Office of the Deputy Governor, they added that in every election held in the country, women have participated actively and sometimes more than their male counterparts when it comes to mobilization, adding that there is the need for people in government to give women equal opportunity as men when it comes to governance and nation building.
Okoya-Thomas, while noting that despite the fact that the United Nations Affirmative Declarations recommended 35% of women participation in governance, she regretted that not many government institutions in the country today adhered strictly to this declaration, leading to women either being put at disadvantage or out-rightly shortchanged.
She stated that it is evident that few women that were given opportunities like their male counterparts have functioned actively and contributed meaningfully to the growth of the society, adding that the society would be better for it if more women were considered for more political offices in the country. One of such example according to her is Sen. Oluremi Tinubu who she said has performed creditably well in the national assembly and has added immeasurable value to governance.
Okoya-Thomas who disclosed that her group has been going round the state to sensitize and mobilize the residents to collect their Permanent Voters’ Card (PVC), noted that the only weapon to use in electing credible government into power is their PVC, urging the residents to visit INEC registration centres and offices to collect their cards so as to give them the power to elect those they can trust to govern them.
In her remarks, Dr Adebule commended the group for their active participation in the political activities in the state.
Adebule disclosed that Lagos more than any other states in the country, abided by the United Nations Affirmative Declarations not only by involving more women in governance but by allowing them to occupy sensitive positions.
Adebule while pledging her commitment to the agenda for women development promised that she would continue to use her office to ensure that women are well placed in the scheme of things and not relegated to the background.
She urged women not to lose focus but to continue to improve themselves on daily basis and actively participate in the electoral processes.
