The Bayelsa State All Progressives Congress (APC) women forum has demanded inclusion in President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, saying it has the technocrats and professionals in its fold who could add much value if given the opportunity.
Chairperson of the forum, Dame Julie Donli, who stated this in a statement she made available to Tribune Online on Monday in Abuja, however, appealed to the leadership of the party to consider its members for political appointments across all levels.
Donli, a former director general of National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP), said the call for inclusion reflects a broader call for greater representation of women in governance adding that the movement was driven by promises made during President Tinubu’s campaign, where he vowed to increase women’s participation in government to at least 35% of all positions.
She said that despite the crucial role the Forum played in President Tinubu’s electoral victory, Bayelsa women are not represented in his government.
The statement read, “Your Excellency, the Bayelsa APC women wing gave everything, including their time, energy, resources and some even paid the ultimate price towards the success of the Tinubu campaign.
“Now, we are two years into the administration’s victory we helped deliver, yet, not a single one of us has been appointed or acknowledged. Our women have not been compensated for all their pains and sacrifices and we feel neglected.
“As Bayelsa APC women, we want to advocate that we should be carried along in all the party’s affairs, not just in the state, but at the federal level. We are closer to the party women at the grassroots, the largest voting bloc in the state and so our demography should not be neglected.”
She recalled how the Bayelsa APC women were part and parcel First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu’s campaign train that moved across the length and breadth of the country to canvass for votes at the grassroots.
“We campaigned vigorously and tirelessly in the riverine communities others couldn’t reach. But today, our dedication and hard work have been undervalued, while others who didn’t contribute as much are being rewarded instead,” she said.
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