Communique: Kogi women make case for women inclusive Governance

COMMUNIQUE OF KOGI WOMEN IN LOCAL GOVERNMENT COUNCILS, WOMEN IN POLITICS AND OFFICIALS OF KOGI WOMEN EMPOWERMENT COALITION (KWEC) BEING AN OUTCOME OF A ONE-DAY WOMEN’S POLITICAL SUMMIT ORGANIZED BY CENTRE FOR WOMEN STUDIES AND INTERVENTION (CWSI) SUPPORTED BY CAFOD NIGERIA AND HELD ON 19TH JUNE 2023 AT LOKOJA, KOGI STATE

PREAMBLE: We, the Women of Kogi State who participated in the annual women’s summit hereby express as follows;
(1) IMPERATIVE OF WOMEN INCLUSIVE GOVERNANCE
We re-echo the imperative and importance of women inclusive governance as enunciated in the United Nation’s Beijing conference of 1995.On this premise; we state that exclusion of women from democratic governance impedes the growth and prosperity of Kogi State, Nigeria
(2) APPRECIATION TO HIS EXCELLENCY, YAYAHA BELLO, EXECUTIVE GOVERNOR OF KOGI STATE FOR INCLUSION OF WOMEN IN KOGI STATE LOCAL GOVERNMENT COUNCILS
We use this medium to express gratitude to the Executive Governor of Kogi State, His Excellency, Yahaya Bello for his application of the principle of affirmative action by which an unprecedented number of forty-two (42) women were included in all 21 Local Government Councils of Kogi State as Vice Chairman and Legislative Council Leaders. We appreciate his Excellency’s contribution to elevating the political status of women through his action on women inclusive governance. We commend his Excellency for positive response to the multi-sectoral advocacy programs implemented by Community Based Organization, Kogi Women Empowerment Coalition (KWEC) with support from Centre for Women Studies and Intervention (CWSI) for actualization of inclusive development and equal opportunity in Kogi State.
(3) MARGINALIZATION OF THE FEMALE VICE CHAIRMEN AND COUNCIL LEADERS IN LOCAL GOVERNMENT COUNCILS
We have noticed with deep concern that even though the Executive Governor of Kogi State has taken the step to create new platform of governmental visibility for women, Male Executives holding the offices of Chairman of Local Government Councils and Councilors in Local Government Areas have marginalized female members of the Councils since their inclusion in Local Government Administration. This practice discourages women’s aspiration for political self-actualization and opportunity to contribute to local government development. Therefore, we call on the Chairmen and Councilors in all the Local government councils of Kogi State to emulate Governor Yahaya Bello’s recognition of women. They should promote cultural re-orientation, elimination of all gender biased practices in administration of public offices which produce inequalities, suppression and politically motivated violence against women.
(4) WE CELEBRATE the successes of the two women who contested for the Kogi State House of Assembly in the 2023 general election. These are Honorable Mrs. Comfort Nwuchola. She is representing Ibaji constituency and Honorable Omotayo Adeleye-Ishaya who is also currently representing Ijumu constituency. We recognize them as Political Amazons and commend their determination to break the jinx of total absence of female legislators from Kogi State House of Assembly since the year 2003. We call on and encourage all male representatives in the Assembly to give their cooperation to the elected women and to creating an enabling environment for them to effectively fulfill their mandate.
(5) WE COMMEND the Executive Governor of Kogi State for signing into law KOGI STATE VIOLENCE AGAINST PERSONS (PROHIBITION) LAW. Furthermore, we applaud all the members of the Civil Society Organizations including CWSI who advocated and contributed to this. We call on all female persons in Kogi State to use the legislation as shield to defend their rights and dignity.
(6) Clarion call for peaceful gubernatorial election in November 2023,
We have noticed that the present political atmosphere towards the gubernatorial election in Kogi State scheduled for the month November is showing clear warning signs of pending violence. As mothers, wives, sisters, aunts and nieces we are beneficiaries of peace and harmony; We pay tribute to Mrs. Salome who was gruesomely murdered during the 2019 general election by political thugs in Kogi East senatorial District as result of her participation in politics. Thus, we are deeply concerned. The present peace is fragile and if not carefully managed will lead to violence in the on-coming election. We therefore call on all relevant security agencies at the State and Federal levels to closely Kogi State to ensure proactive measures that will guarantee a peaceful, credible, free and fair election taking place on 11th November 2023.
(7) On this platform we stand and demand for our rights to peacefully exist as co-stewards of a better Kogi State, better Nigeria and a better world. UNITED WE STAND!