Gbenga Sodeinde in Ado Ekiti
The Ekiti State First Lady, Dr. Olayemi Oyebanji, has expressed delight over the emergence of high number of female candidates in the All Progressives Congress (APC) primaries ahead of the December 2 local government election in the state.
Oyebanji said to have seven candidates for chairmanship positions, 16 candidates for vice chairmanship positions, and 33 candidates for councillorship positions from the womenfolk by any party is unprecedented in the history of the state.
The first lady made the remarks yesterday in her office when she hosted the APC female candidates, who came to appreciate the support they enjoy from her and her husband which made their victory in the party’s chairmanship and councillorship primaries possible.
The governor’s wife said with the tickets won by the APC female candidates in the forthcoming local government election in the state, Ekiti State now has the highest number of female representation for political offices in Nigeria followed by Kwara State.
Oyebanji paid tribute to her predecessor, Erelu Bisi Fayemi, for working hard to ensure that the APC has three female chairmanship candidates and 14 vice chairmanship candidates who went ahead to win the seats contested for in the last local government poll in the state.
Dr. Oyebanji said she and her husband were determined, and were given the grace by God to put more women forward in the APC primaries because of their belief that they are capable of making the difference if they are chosen by the electorate at the council election.
She urged the APC candidates for the local government election not to disappoint the party and the people of the state when elected, noting that good performance in office would pave the way for more women to win elected and appointive positions in the future.
The first lady charged the candidates to come out with credible manifesto and incorporate the empowerment of women, orphans and widows into their programmes which should be implemented if they emerge victorious at the poll.
She said: “Having seven women chairmanship candidates and 16 vice chairmanship candidates from the APC primaries is unprecedented in the local government election in Ekiti State, and this has confirmed Ekiti as the state with the highest number of women representation with Kwara State following us in second position.
“I told my husband to assist many of our women candidates to emerge from the primaries for the local government election, and God has made it possible for us. The standard set by my predecessor, Erelu Bisi Fayemi, must not be allowed to drop.
“I want to urge our female candidates for the local government election not to disappoint the electorate if they eventually win the election. Let there be more development in your areas, and try to replicate what we are doing at the state level.”
In her remarks, the Special Adviser to the Governor on Gender and Women Empowerment, Mrs. Kemisola Olaleye, hailed the first lady for working tirelessly to see to the emergence of the female candidates for the APC at the council level, noting that the increase in their number was due to her advocacy and persuasive skills.
