Primaries: Emergence of 7 female chairmanship, 16 vice unprecedented – Mrs Oyebanji

Wife of Ekiti Governor, Dr Olayemi Oyebanji on Wednesday expressed happiness over the emergence of seven female chairmanship and 16 vice chairmanship candidates in the All Progressives Congress (APC) primaries.

It was reported that local government elections are due to hold Dec. 2 in the state.

She made the remarks when she hosted the APC female candidates, who visited the governor’s wife to appreciate the support they enjoyed from her and her husband.

“Having seven Candidates for Chairmanship positions, 16 for vice chairmanship and 33 for councilorship from the womenfolk by any party is unprecedented in the history of the state

”With the tickets won by the APC female candidates in the forthcoming local government election in the state, Ekiti now had the highest number of female representation for political offices in Nigeria followed by Kwara,” she said.

Oyebanji paid tribute to her predecessor, Mrs Bisi Fayemi, for working hard to ensure the three APC female chairmanship candidates and 14 vice chairmanship candidates won their election during the last local government poll in the state.

Oyebanji urged the APC candidates for the Local Government Election not to disappoint the party and the people of the state when elected, adding that good performance in office would pave the way for more women to win elected and appointive positions in the future.

The governor’s wife charged the candidates to come out with credible manifesto and incorporate the empowerment of women, orphans and widows into their programmes which should be implemented if they emerge victorious at the poll.

“Having seven women Chairmanship candidates and sixteen vice chairmanship candidates from the APC primaries is unprecedented in the LG election in Ekiti and this has confirmed Ekiti as the state with the highest number of women representation with Kwara following us in second position.

“I told my husband to assist many of our women candidates to emerge from the primaries for the LG election and God has made it possible for us. The standard set by my predecessor, must not be allowed to drop.

“I want to urge our female candidates for the LG election that you must not disappoint the electorate if you eventually win the election, let their be more development in your areas and try to replicate what we are doing at the state level,” she said.

In her remarks, the Special Adviser to the Governor on Gender and Women Empowerment, Mrs Kemisola Olaleye commended the governor’s wife for working tirelessly to ensure the emergence of female candidates at the primaries.

The APC State Women Leader, Mrs Caroline Egunlusi, described the emergence of more female candidates as a positive development, urging them to make impact and be good ambassadors of the party.