By Oladipupo Awojobi
The new Woman Leader of the Lagos State Chapter of the All Progressive Congress (APC), Hon. Jumoke Okoya-Thomas, has promised to protect the interest of women across the state.
Speaking to journalists after the swearing-in of the new executive members of the party at its state secretariat on Acme Road, Ikeja, Lagos on Thursday, Okoya-Thomas promised to bring a new lease of life to the women and other members of the party.
She took over from Mrs. Kemi Nelson, who had been on the seat for four years. Kemi Nelson’s predecessor is former Deputy Speaker of Lagos State House Of Assembly, Mrs. Toun Adeniran.
Okoya-Thomas, who was elected through a consensus arrangement during the state congress of the party on May 19, said the womenfolk deserve a better representation and opportunity.
According to her, “We will bring in a new generation of women in politics into Lagos APC and protect the interest of all the women in our great party especially at the grassroots. I am glad that I am taking over the office of the Woman Leader of the APC at a time people are calling for more participation of women in politics. However, we are graciously thankful to the leader of the party in Lagos State, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu for surpassing the 30 percent affirmative action for women in the constitution of the Lagos APC executive.
“I promise to uphold this throughout my stay in office and I have no doubt that other members of the new executive under the pragmatic leadership of the new chairman of our great party would co-operate with me in this task. It is a known fact that women constitute a large percentage of our voting population in Lagos and the new APC executive will give women a special place in the party,” she enthused.
The former member of the House of Representatives promised to listen to suggestions from women and carry them along in her task of making things better, adding that the APC-led government believes in women empowerment and participation in politics.
“My aim is to build on what my predecessors have achieved and make more women to actively engage in the political process of Lagos State by vigorously mobilising more women into the APC, especially the new generation of politically conscious women in the grassroots who are our backbone. I can assure you that women participation will be massive in this process and the party will continue to deliver the dividends of democracy to our people. †Hon Okoya Thomas said.
Other members of the new executive of the party in the state are Mr. Tunde Balogun, chairman; Chief Sunny Ajose, deputy chairman; Ashipa Kaoli Olusanya, vice chairman, Lagos East; Hon. Funsho Ologunde, vice chairman, Lagos West. Hon. Bamgbola Hakeem, vice chairman, Lagos Central; and Dr. Wale Ahmed, secretary.
