Warn Buhari against sinking Nigeria, cleric tells Obasanjo, others

Democracy without women is impossible, says JDPC

The Presiding Pastor of Christ Apostolic Church, Arogungbogunmi International, Prophet Richard Kolawole, has asked former Nigerian presidents to urge President Muhammadu Buhari to address the challenges currently besetting the nation before things get worse.

He says unless this is done, there is danger ahead as clamour for the break-up of the country by self-determination groups continues to reverberate.

The cleric stated this in a statement, yesterday, in Ibadan on the state of the nation.

According to him, the situation in the land is worrisome and therefore calls for a drastic solution, warning that the capacity of those rooting for the division of the country must not be undermined.

He said the President must put his government in order and remove the toga of nepotism and ethnic loyalty to embrace popular democratic tenets that could promote unity, peace and security.

MEANWHILE, Justice, Development and Peace Centre (JDPC), Ondo Catholic Diocese, has hinged the success of the country’s democracy on the massive involvement of women in politics.

The Programme Officer of STOP Violence Against Women In Politics (STOP VAWIP), Mr. Austin Ogunleye, said this, yesterday, in Akure during a press conference to commemorate June 12 celebration.

Ogunleye said though just over 20 per cent of parliamentarians worldwide are women, yet the evidence is strong that as more women are elected, countries experience higher standards of living.

He explained that “when women lead equally in the political arena, it makes for stronger decision-making and more representative governance.

Ogunleye, who lamented that the low representation of women is a violation of democratic principle and negates the 35 per cent affirmation as contained in the Beijing Declaration, listed the challenges facing women political participation to include patriarchy, stigmatisation, low level of education, political meetings schedules, financing, political violence, religious and cultural barriers.

ALSO, the state Coordinator of The Speaking Voice, Mrs. Bola Iyang, among other recommendations, implored political parties to create a support network for prospective aspirants by pairing them with established women politicians.