By Oluwagbemiga Toye
A House of Representatives aspirant for Ekiti Central Federal Constituency I (Ado/Irepodun/Ifelodun), Tokunbo Ajila-Jakande, has called on Ekiti State Governor, Biodun Oyebanji, and Nigeria’s First Lady, Remi Tinubu, to take decisive steps in advancing the 35 per cent affirmative action for women in Nigeria’s political space.
Ajila-Jakande, a philanthropist and chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC), made the appeal while speaking at a special congress organised by the Nigeria Union of Journalists, Ekiti State Council. She expressed concern over what she described as the persistently low representation of women in the National Assembly.
According to her, Nigeria is yet to meet the widely advocated 35
percent benchmark for women’s inclusion in governance, stressing that the current composition of the legislature was not in anyway closer. She noted that achieving the target would translate to about 150 women in the House of Representatives and about 40 in the Senate.
The aspirant lamented that Ekiti State currently has no female representative in the National Assembly, recalling that only a few women, including Biodun Olujimi, Fatimat Raji-Rasaki and very few others have represented the state at the federal level in the past. She urged Governor Oyebanji to use his influence to encourage and support the emergence of more female candidates in future elections, noting that women across the state remain supportive of his administration and re-election bid.
She also appealed to the First Lady to champion policies that would ensure each state produces at least one or two female representatives in the National Assembly.
Ajila-Jakande, popularly known as TAJ, assured her constituents of effective and inclusive representation if elected, pledging to prioritise the welfare of women, the elderly, and vulnerable groups.
She added that even outside government, she has consistently impacted lives through her foundation, which focuses on supporting the aged, less privileged, women, and other vulnerable persons. She promised to build on the foundation by expanding its reach and making its interventions more encompassing if given the mandate.
The aspirant further pledged transparency and accountability in office, assuring constituents that she would institute regular briefings to render account of her stewardship. Reaffirming her commitment to grassroots development, Ajila-Jakande maintained that her candidacy represents an opportunity to deepen inclusion, strengthen representation, and give a stronger voice to women and underserved communities in Ekiti Central.
