Oyo PDP female candidates, aspirants align to ensure party’s victory

Female politicians in Oyo State under the aegis of Oyo State Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), aspirants and candidates, have come together to form a formidable force to ensure the victory of the party’s candidates in the year 2023 general elections.

The leader of the group, Dr Joke Adekanmbi-Akinseye while addressing journalists in Ibadan the Oyo State capital at the weekend said the forum consists of female aspirants of the PDP who did not secure the ticket for one reason or the other during the last primary election of the party.

Adekanmbi-Akinseye noted that the women decided not to leave the party as it is the common practice in Nigeria because they want to make a better change, register their stronger presence and influence and also to advance gender equality in party politics as well as form a support group for Governor Makinde’s re-election bid.

She stated: “We know our governor has done very well, and because of that, we want to support him for a second term in office as one good turn deserves another.

“We want to bring women of different classes together under one common goal. Why did we do that? We have learnt our lessons. Out of 18 of us, only two of us were able to secure tickets for the next general election, while 16 of us didn’t get the chance. Although we didn’t pick the ticket, we are not failures, but successful women. That’s why we came together.

“We want other women out there who do not know whether to be in politics or not, the elites, the professionals, lecturers, doctors, nurses, artisans and market women who want to aspire to come out and join us now because we are storming 2027.

“Our plans and our key objectives are as follows: we want to include more women in the political process and enhance gender equality in the political structure. We have seen in the party politics in Oyo State that women have been sidelined, but we want to change that scenario. We want to change the mindset of men that there’s a group of women that has come to stay and participate in party politics and governance.”

In her remarks, Honourable Ramota Agberemi-Dabo said although some members of the group didn’t win the primary election, they are still happy to be in politics and especially to be in the PDP because they have been able to make a difference.

She commended Governor Makinde for giving women the boldness and voice to come out and participate in politics in this crucial time in the country.

Agberemi-Dabo, who highlighted the Makinde-led achievements in the last three years, said they have been able to boldly participate in politics because of the governor’s achievements.

She also thanked the governor for appointing some of the aspirants who lost in the primary election, for paving the way for women and for allowing women to stand up, talk and be heard.

“When we talk of change, there is always a barrier we women are facing. We are trying to break that glass cylinder. We are trying to bring in our fellow women to let them know.

“Yes, there are challenges, the stigma, the labelling, the security and funding challenges and so on, but at the end of the day, things are changing and so all those are coming behind us.”

She, however, urged all women to join the group, stressing that they should dump the misconception that politics is dirty. She stated that all human lives revolve around politics and governance.

Reacting to why the women refused to leave the PDP after losing their bid to secure tickets as the norm in Nigerian politics, Agberemi-Dabo said they believe in change, adding that anybody looking for change would not want anything in exchange but rather give his best.

“Yes we want to be compensated, appreciated and honoured, but we want to eradicate the labelling, the rejection and the stigma against women. For change to happen, one has to start. That’s why we are here,” she added.

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