…Promises that they will be better positioned
From: WOLE BALOGUN, Ado-Ekiti
Ekiti State governorship hopeful, Otunba Yinka Akerele, (Ajinde Ekiti), on Tuesday, in continuation of his familiarisation with the party structure, met with the All Progressive Congress (APC) women leaders in the state.
The party structure comprises 35 women leaders in the 16 Local Government Areas (LGAs) and Local Council Development Areas (LCDAs) and the 177 Ward’s Women Leaders in the state. While there, he revealed his juicy plans for them.
Akerele, who told the women that it was high time women were elevated in running the affairs of the state, however, reminded them that he had come a long way in contesting for the number one seat of the state having put in over 13 years of his life into the struggle.
The governorship hopeful who was flanked by his wife, and two of his kids, said he had sacrificed a lot in his bid to achieve the onerous ambition of governing the state.
Explaining that his tenacity was borne out of a desire to change the fortunes of the state, Akerele noted that what attracted him to the APC about a year ago when he dumped Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) was the internal democracy that thrives in the party and the assurance that what happened to him in PDP, where the primary he won in 2006, was allegedly snatched from him without any justifiable reason. He said he believed that that practise would not happen in the APC.
“As for me, women are indispensable in any political sojourn because they are mostly voters and dependable supporters who unfortunately are being used and abandoned in most cases. I have always enjoyed your support and I am here to familiarise with you and seek your support to take off as a team with mutual understanding to work together and prosper together. Many have indicated interest in being governor but I have been consistent in this race and have not sought for any other position all the while because this is an area I know I can actually turn around the fortunes of our people and make things better for us”.
The State Woman leader, Mrs. Dupe Bakare, led a team of women leaders of the LGA/LCDA to receive Akerele at the party’s state secretariat in Ajilosun area of Ado-Ekiti, capital city.
The Deputy Chairman of APC in the state, Mrs. Kemi Olaleye, who joined the meeting later, in her remarks, urged the aspirant to give women suitable roles to play in his government if elected because gone are those days when women are used for campaign and dumped after election. She said Ekiti parades high calibre women and integrity capable of functioning effectively in any position of responsibility.
Responding, Akerele promised to ensure that women were seriously patronised from the council, to the state Assembly, House of Representatives, the Senate and were better positioned if given the party ticket.
He also promised to give nothing less than 35 percent slots to women in appointment into his cabinet.
Said: “I am very passionate about the women. If you train a girl child, you have trained a nation, but if it is a male child, you have only trained an individual. This is why you are so dear to me. I will even support women’s ambition to seek for elective positions at all level.