Politics without women’s full participation is like cooking soup without ingredients. This is the position of the leadership of All Progressives Congress, APC, in Ekiti State.
The leadership of APC in Ekiti State converged in Ado-Ekiti, on Monday, strategized not only to mobilize women for the forthcoming elections in the State but to actively contest and win positions.
The meeting was attended by APC stalwarts to include: State Party Chairman, Mr Sola Eleshin; Commissioner for Information, Hon. Taiwo Olatunbosun; Special Adviser on Political Matters, Chief Jide Awe; Commissioner for Town Planning, Hon. Karounwi Oladapo; Special Adviser on Gender Empowerment and Mobilization, Mrs. Kemisola Olaleye; Ekiti APC Women Leader, Mrs Caroline Eegunlusi; Otunba Lekan Oyebanji and representatives of APC women leaders across the 16 LGAs.
The State Party Chairman, Mr. Eleshin said the move is to build a supportive structure aimed at removing hiccups preventing women from participating fully in politics.
He said: “The meeting is about forging ahead for women participation in the 2025 political campaign in Ekiti State in readiness for the primary of the APC.
“They are stakeholders in the formation of political parties and activities of the party in the State. We will like to encourage them so that they can participate very well in the forthcoming campaigns.
“In the past, women believe they are doing it for their male counterparts but this time around, they are major stakeholders in Ekiti politics and they should be active.”
On his part, the Senior Special adviser to Governor Oyebanji on political matters, Chief Jide Awe stressed the importance of having a single line of action among the APC women geared towards ensuring equal opportunities and guide against discrimination.
He further tasked them to engage other women in various communities across the state to building widespread community support ahead of the forthcoming elections in the State.
His words: “We realized that the issue of politics and governance involves both the male and female. We are looking at the situation where we are entering another critical stage of politicking. Women should not be left behind but if they are not coordinated, it could be otherwise.
“We are using this meeting to establish a coordinating unit for our women all over the state. We want them to form a single line of action where the women leader speaks from the state down to the unit level. That’s what we are after.
“Since we are now going to have a single line of action, whatever responsibility that is meant for the women, we will be sure that it will get to the unit level. We don’t want a situation where they will be working for purposes but lay a very solid foundation so that when the party gives instructions, it goes down to the necessary places.
“The door is open for women. When it is necessary for them to collect forms, they know where to go. We just want to have an open field for our women and that does not stop those who are coming newly to come to their fold.”
Also, the Special Adviser on Gender Empowerment and Mobilisation, Chief Mrs Kemisola Olaleye described Governor Biodun Oyebanji as a women-friendly governor, who has prioritized the welfare of women in his administration.
Olaleye explained that the latest development by the state party leadership is targeted at ensuring a smooth operation of its activities from the state to the ward level.
“Our governor cherishes women and we gathered here to communicate the new order from the party. The party has spoken and all we want from APC women in Ekiti State is to operate under one line of single action.
“We don’t want anybody to factionalize our party. We want to operate under the leadership of our state women leader down to the ward women leader.” She said.