Sola Ojo, Kaduna
Groups of Kaduna women, under the Women Mentoring and Leadership Initiative (WAMFOI), yesterday, lauded Governor Nasir El-Rufai for choosing a woman as his deputy.
The women, who are members of different political parties, market associations and non-governmental organisations, also called on the governor to consider 40 percent Affirmative Action in his new cabinet; as he promised during campaigns.
Addressing newsmen in Kaduna, a former member of the House of Representatives and WAMFOI President, Hon. Florence Aya, said her organisation would continue to support government in nurturing and mentoring women for political and leadership participation.
Florence said, unlike before, when women don’t support their fellow women in elections, they have beginning to see reasons to do that due to awareness by concerned women groups.
“FAMWOI congratulates governor El-Rufai and, most importantly, for being gender sensitive in chosen a woman as a running mate to serve as deputy governor. We also commend your effort at ensuring that, women played vital roles in the outgoing dispensation by appointing them as commissioners of some key ministries before the dissolution of the state cabinet. However, as a gender sensitive governor, we urge you to keep your promise of affirmative action on 40 percent women and people living with disabilities, especially, by giving appointment to women who did well but lost elections.
Sharing her personal experience, Cecelia Musa, who contested the position of Chairmanship of Jema’a local government Council of Kaduna State under the platform of All Progressives Congress (APC) said, time has come for political parties to give women certain percentage of representation both within the party and elective and appointive positions.
“Women have beginning to see the need to support fellow women in politics. For example, during primaries, I contested against two men and won. I was able to win that primaries because of massive support I got from women; though I lost the election.”