Ondo APC Seeks More Women in Leadership Roles, As Tinubu’s Daughter, Others Rally Support for Aiyedatiwa

Fidelis David in Akure

The Women wing of the All Progressives Congress in Ondo State has emphasised the need to empower women to assume leadership positions across various sectors of the Nigerian economy.

Mrs. Olamide Falana, Special Adviser (Gender Matters) to Ondo Governor, Lucky Aiyedatiwa, stated this on Monday at the Ondo APC women rally held in Akure the state capital ahead of this month’s gubernatorial election in the state.

Addressing the women, Falana expressed the readiness of the women in the state to support and mobilize for the candidate of APC, Lucky Aiyedatiwa and his running mate Olayide Adelami in the November 16 poll.

Specifically, she said the governor’s appointment of the first female commissioner of finance in the state, among other women to leadership positions, is a clear indication and commitment to affirmative action, which supports the reservation of 35 per cent of elective positions for women irrespective of political party.

She promised that women will deliver at least one million votes for the APC in the forthcoming election.

“Today, we’re gathered to rally around and support our candidate, Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa. The governor has done so much to warrant the love that we are showing to you today, truly, our young women in Ondo state are lucky.

“The government is doing so much in the area of healthcare and I must say, currently Ondo has a gender outlook because the government has ensured maternal care and also free healthcare for children under five years of age. And to control this, the state currently is using ‘Kadi Igbe’ayo’, which has been in place for a very long time. This shows that the governor is a man who believes in continuity, who believes that the sweat, and the errors must not be erased, but must be built upon for better governance.

“Recently, the governor gave out microcredit loans to artisans, to workers, to those not from our sector. That is really iconic because this is also another way of ensuring that the commerce of the state is optimal and women especially can make so much money from what they do in their various places of endeavour.”

Falana noted that the governor, recently, approved a whopping sum of 500 million for market swimming while in agriculture sector, he approved a billionaire naira for clearing of farmland which will ensure that farmers do not have to spend so much for clearing, rather, have enough land to farm.

“Ondo women can say we are lucky, we have a governor who ensures that we have a place of pride in the polity of our state.”

The APC South West Women leader, Yetunde Adesanya, and APC Women leader in Ondo State, Mojisola Lijoka said women had assurance that Aiyedatiwa will be elected on November 16, calling on women to protect their permanent voters cards.

President Bola Tinubu’s daughter and Iyaloja-General, Mujidat Folasade Tinubu-Ojo, expressed optimism that there will be more opportunities in Aiyedatiwa’s administration to promote gender balance and boost women empowerment when elected.

According to her, APC women have been rallying support for Aiyedatiwa because they believe that he will continually create a more viable economic environment for women in business and politics to thrive.