Women in Ogun State have expressed resentment over the appointment of only two females as commissioner-designates by Governor Dapo Abiodun.
Facts emerged that the long awaited 17-man list of commissioner-nominees which was transmitted by the governor to the Ogun State Assembly for screening and confirmation contained only two women.
In expressing their indignation, a league of women rights associations in the state, on Saturday, 15th December, 2019 furiously condemned what was said to be a one-sided nomination.
The women, in an open letter to Governor Abiodun, dispraised the governor for not fulfilling his campaign promise of 35 per cent inclusion of women in his administration.
The letter read, “We believe that through these actions, Your Excellency have failed to keep to your promise of ensuring gender equity through at least 35 per cent inclusion of women in your government. We were surprised that out of 17 commissioner-nominees, only two are women.
“We kindly want to remind the governor about the promises that the cabinet will comprise 50 per cent women, which Your Excellency made at different fora in the presence of the Nigerian media.
“May we also remind the governor about our open letter on the above subject on July 27 2019 and the subsequent protest by women in the state to the governor’s office, where they were received by the Deputy Governor, Mrs Noimot Salako-Oyedele, and the public assurances made to the mammoth crowd of women representatives.
“May we further remind Your Excellency, of the critical role women played in ensuring your victory at the polls and also that in the last four administrations; to wit, former governor Gbenga Daniel and Senator Ibikunle Amosun had 37 per cent and 45 per cent women respectively in the cabinet. The proposed number of nominees by the governor is less than 12 per cent and is totally unacceptable by any standard.”
The letter was Signed by the: Founder/Executive Director of Women Advocates Research and Documentation Centre, Dr Abiola Akiyode–Afolabi; Ms Kemi Asiwaju-Okeyondo (The Rule of Law and Empowerment Initiative); Ms Ireti Disu (Justice Development and Peace Commission) and Doyin Ogunbiyi (Voice of Ogun Women).
