Lagos governorship candidates sign pact with women, society groups

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The demands include the provision of primary health, basic education, economic and poverty alleviation, protection of vulnerable groups, 35 per cent representation of women in government, healthy environment, food security, good road network, water supply, child abuse and violence against women and security.

The event, which was organised by the Women Advocates Research and Documentation Centre (WARDC), had the candidates of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), National Conscience Party (NCP), KOWA party and the Alliance for Democracy (AD) in attendance.

While reaffirming his commitment to good governance when elected into office, the PDP gubernatorial candidate, Jimi Agbaje, assured women of a 25 per cent on appointive positions.

He said: “I, Jimi Agbaje, cannot assure you 35 per cent of elective offices because it’s not in my power. But for appointive offices, I can assure women of a 25 per cent minimum slot, and if more women entrepreneurs and professionals step into politics, the anticipated 35 per cent can be achieved.”

According to Mr. Ayodele Akele of the NCP, he said when elected, his government would be bent on providing gainful employment to the teeming population, saying: “Our regime will not tax people who are unemployed; we have to provide jobs for people. I have been a labour leader all my life and having known the pains of workers, I can tell where the shoes pinch.”

Adeniyi Adeboyega of KOWA Party stressed on the party’s ideals of agitating for a better life for women, children and all members of the society.

“Our programmes are focused on shelter affordability through a mortgage system that shall be put in place and our educational system will be based on retraining of teachers to bring back the lost glory of the teaching profession,” he said.

While speaking on the need to protect the interest of women in our society, the AD gubernatorial candidate, Mr. Bolaji Ogunseye, who praised the initiative of the Convention to Eliminate All Forms of Violence against Women (CEDAW), which has played a vital role for women, said the interest of women would be topmost in his administration.

Meanwhile, the Convener and Executive Director, WARDC, Dr. Abiola Akiyode-Afolabi, said the concern with the limited attention, gender and women issues received from political actors during the electoral process led to the pact signage.

“More disturbing is the fact that very few women candidates emerged during this electoral dispensation. The exclusion and marginalisation of women issues has continued to retard the world progress and development.”