December 11, (THEWILL) – Governor Dapo Abiodun of Ogun state on Friday enjoined Nigerian women to take advantage of their numerical strength and vie for elective positions in the country.
Abiodun disclosed this while receiving members of the Ajose Foundation, led by the First Lady, Mrs. Bamidele Abiodun, at his office to mark the final day of the 16-day Activism Against Gender-Based Violence.
The governor advised the women to express their desire to contest for political offices in the country, urging them not to be discouraged.
He admonished the women not to allow themselves to be used by men as just potential voters, expressing confidence that if they campaign well enough, they would win elective positions they vie for in their constituencies.
Abiodun said, ” I want to urge you to begin to be part of the process. However, what I will also encourage you to do is to ensure that our women do not allow themselves to be pushed back.
“Express your desire to contest these positions and knowing fully well that you have the numbers, if you contest those positions and your campaign to your constituency, you definitely win.”
“And you know our men just don’t think that way, it doesn’t occur to them unless you ensure that you push them, cajole them and you persuade them, then they will remember that indeed women can occupy those positions and women are not just to be used when we are looking for them to line to vote.
“Let us ensure that we participate as much as the men and do not wait for the positions be handed over to us, we also have, I think for the first time in the history of the state, a woman party chairman, it was a very tough local government, which is Abeokuta North, so we are ensuring that women occupy their pride of place in governance and party politics and we will continue to support them.”
Abiodun also pointed out that the Violence against Persons Prohibition Act has been domesticated in the state. The Child’s Right Protection Law has also been passed by the State House of Assembly as well as the commissioning of the Sexual Assault Referral Center (Ike-Oba) in Sagamu.
The Commissioner for Women Affairs and Social Development, Mrs. Funmi Efuape, thanked the state government for its continued support on issues that affect women, calling for an increase in women appointment into political positions.
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