Sola Ojo, Kaduna
Groups of Kaduna women under the Women Mentoring and Leadership Initiative (WAMFOI), on Monday, lauded the State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai for choosing a woman as his deputy in the recently concluded election.
The women, who are members of different political parties, market associations, and non-governmental organizations, also called on the governor to consider 40 percent affirmative action in his planned cabinet as he promised during the campaign.
Addressing newsmen in Kaduna, a former member of House of Representatives and President of WANFOI, Hon Florence D. Aya, said, her organisation would continue to support the government in nurturing and mentoring women for political and leadership participation.
Florence, Who was also a former Chief Whip of Kaduna State House of Assembly said, unlike before when women don’t support their fellow women in elections, they have beginning to see reasons to do that due to awareness by concerned women groups.
According to her, “FAMWOI congratulates Governor El-Rufai and most importantly, for being gender sensitive in chosen a woman as a running mate to serve as deputy governor.
“We also commend your effort at ensuring that, women played vital roles in the outgoing dispensation by appointing them as commissioners of some key ministries before the dissolution of the state cabinet.
“However, as a gender-sensitive governor, we urge you to keep your promise of affirmative action on 40 percent women and people living with disabilities, especially, by giving the appointment to women who did well but lost elections.
Sharing her personal experience, Comr Cecelia Musa, who contested the position of Chairmanship of Jema’a local government Council of Kaduna State under the platform of All Progressives Congress (APC) said, the time has come for political parties to give women certain percentage of representation both within the party and elective and appointive positions.
According to her, “women have beginning to see the need to support fellow women in politics. For example, during primaries, I contested against two men and won. I was able to win that primaries because of massive support I got from women – though I lost at the election