Kwara women rise in support of AbdulRazaq’s second term bid
***Citing mainstream gender inclusion in governance for their action
By Stephen Olufemi Oni, Ilorin
Kwara women in their numbers have thrown their weight behind the second term bid of Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, adducing his mainstream gender inclusion in governance as reason for their action.
Addressing a press conference on Wednesday in Ilorin, the state capital, the Convener, Kwara women for AA, Hajia Kuburat Abdullateef, said most of the women, drawn from various backgrounds, are not card-carrying members of any political party, but only interested in good governance and who governs them.
She said: Gathered before you are women of Kwara State. We are drawn from different backgrounds. Many of us here are not card-carrying members of any political party.
“However, we make no pretense about our strong interest in governance and all issues that may affect us as women and our children and it is for this reason we are interested in the policy choice of any government, national, state or
local.”
Hajia Abdullateef said in the last two years in the State, they have seen a deliberate effort by the administration of Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq to
mainstream gender inclusion in governance, pointing out that “no administration in modern history of Nigeria has done so well to bring women to the decision making table. We saw this in cabinet composition where he gave 56.25% cabinet positions to women as well as in headships of government agencies and parastatals.”
She said; “This is a fact that has been recognised locally, nationally and internationally. A few weeks ago, the United Nations Development Agency nominated the Governor for an award in recognition of his bold steps in gender inclusion.
“This has far-reaching consequences on public policies and programmes. For instance, anti-family or anti-women policies can only get government support in Kwara of today if women become complicit in such. This is because we are adequately represented in virtually all areas involved in policy designs, except in the House of
Assembly which is beyond the dictate of the Governor.
“Similarly, we have seen serious attention being paid to child
development and government services that especially benefit women and children. The huge investments of the Abdulrazaq administration in basic education, sanitation, water, safety net programmes, and child and maternal health testify to his love for the welfare of the disadvantaged groups in the society.
“He topped all these with the introduction of a law that commits Kwara to gender inclusion through the Gender Composition Law 2021 and fair treatment of women through the recent domestication of the Violence Against Person Law.
*The administration has also recently committed to the 2nd National Action Plan which seeks to involve women in conflict resolution
frameworks and protect them from all kinds of discrimination.
“These pro-women achievements are monumental and should never go unrewarded by women of this state, wherever we may be and
whatever ideology we espouse.
We therefore have a historic duty to speak up for the Governor and
his administration. We recall that the Honourable Minister of Women
Affairs Dame PaullenTallen had recently charged the women of Kwara State not to let the Governor down. We the women of Kwara State stand ready to declare our unflinching support for Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq. If he declares a bid to run again, we have a burden of history to rally round him. This is beyond partisan sentiments. It is about telling the whole world that Kwara women do not take the support of the Governor for granted.”
At a rally held for the Governor, Special Assistant on Sustainable Development Goals to the Governor, Dr. Jamila Bio Ibrahim, said: “Kwara state women have come together to show unwavering support for the governor because of his support for the women and the encouragement he has given them.
“The rally has been held to appreciate the governor and to let the world know that one good term deserves another. The government recently signed into law gender composition bill to allow women participation in governance and it is what no administration can change and it was as a result of his political will. We want a system through which this can continue, that is why you see women from all walks of life gathering today to support the governors reelection bid.”