All Progressives Congress (APC) Women Forum of Bayelsa state has called for inclusion of its members in political appointments by President Bola Tinubu’s administration.
Dame Julie
Donli, Chairperson of the forum, made the call in a statement issued on Monday
in Abuja.
Dame Donli, a former
director-general of NAPTIP, said that the forum had enough technocrats and
professionals who could add much value in the Renewed Hope Agenda of the
Tinubu-led government, if given the opportunity.
She appealed
to the party’s leadership to consider its members for political appointments at
all levels.
Donli said that the demand
for inclusion by Bayelsa APC Women in Tinubu’s government also reflected a
broader call for greater representation of women in governance.
She said that the movement
was driven by the promises made during Tinubu’s campaign, where he vowed to
increase women’s participation in government to at least 35 per cent.
Donli expressed concerns
about lack of women’s representation in political appointments from the state
in spite of the critical role that they played in Tinubu’s electoral victory.
She stated that many women in the state who actively supported APC and Tinubu
had been left out of key appointments, saying that this had dampened their
spirits.
Donli noted that the women
gave everything, including their time, energy and resources, adding that some
even paid the ultimate price toward the success of Tinubu’s campaign.
“Now, we are two years into
the administration’s victory we helped to deliver, yet not a single one of us
has been appointed or acknowledged.
The
chairperson recalled that Bayelsa APC women were part and parcel of the First
Lady, Sen. Oluremi Tinubu’s campaign train, who traversed the length and
breadth of the country and took the message to the grassroots.
She stressed that the current
situation had broken the spirit of many women from the state who stood boldly
for the APC and the president at a time when others were undecided and
nonchalant.
“We campaigned vigorously and
tirelessly in the riverine communities which others couldn’t reach.
“But today, our dedication
and hardwork have been undervalued, while others who didn’t contribute as much
are being rewarded,” she said.
The woman leader emphasised
the urgency for Tinubu and party leadership to address the concerns of their
supporters in order to rebuild trust, boost morale and maintain the enthusiasm
of its support base.
According to her, prolonged
silence and exclusion can have severe consequences for the party’s future
prospects in the state.
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