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Ondo women protest against neglect over commissioner-nominees

By Oluwaseun Akingboye, Akure
03 August 2017   |   4:03 am
Women in Ondo State yesterday protested in Akure against their neglect in the list of commissioner-nominees by Governor Rotimi Akeredolu.

Rotimi Akeredolu

• Governor defends appointment
Women in Ondo State yesterday protested in Akure against their neglect in the list of commissioner-nominees by Governor Rotimi Akeredolu.

The women, under the aegis of Ondo State Women Must Count (OSWMC) accused the governor of not implementing the 35 per cent affirmative action.

The National Coordinator of the group, Mrs. Olamide Falana lamented that women were extremely marginalised on the list.

She said the list that was sent to the state House of Assembly on Tuesday, had only two women out of the 18 nominees.

The women demanded an urgent review in the nomination, which had Mrs. Omowumi Olatunji-Edet from Akure South and Mrs. Lola Fagbemi from Ondo West, of the same Central Senatorial District

“The list shows a total disregard for the yearnings of the women in the state who had high hopes of a better representation in the leadership of the state, especially with the new thinking that the governor had professed,” she said.

Meanwhile, the Chief Press Secretary to the governor, Mr. Segun Ajiboye, has defended the appointments.

Ajiboye said: “The allegation cannot be true, because Akeredolu as a true democrat is aware of the role of women in electoral process.

“He has demonstrated this in the choice of women whom he appointed as commissioner-nominees, special advisers and special assistants.”

Falana, who was the governorship candidate of Democratic Peoples Party (DPP) in the November 26, 2016 poll, condemned the lopsidedness in previous appointments.

She said: “The government is merely paying lip service to issues of gender parity as promised in its manifestoes. Ondo is the worst among all the All Progressives Congress (APC) states, where women have better deals.

“Gender should not be considered in the development of the state, because no nation can develop if major stakeholders are not allowed the space for due representation and participation.”

Akeredolu, had stated in a letter to the speaker of the assembly, Bamidele Oleyelogun, that the nominees represented each of the 18 councils of the state.

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