As the primaries for the All-Progressives Congress (APC) to elect candidates for the Lagos Council Elections comes up on Saturday, women in Onigbongbo LCDA have lamented against the imposition of Chairmanship candidate by the National Leader Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu and other leaders against their preferred aspirant Barr Rakiya Hassan on Thursday during a protest at the Ikeja GRA.
The women group who stormed the Ikeja GRA resident of Dr Abayomi Finnih, lamented the imposition of the incumbent Chairman, Hon Oladotun Olakanle whom they claimed has been imposed against their wish.
The women who were chanting ‘we want primary, no imposition’ during the protest, who spoke with our correspondent; Kikelomo Adeyemi posited that “It’s our time to have a woman as our council chairman, all these women you’re seeing here are loyal party members who have being contributing to the success of the APC and this is our only opportunity to have one of our own as chairman but our leaders want to impose someone else. We are calling on Asiwaju, we are calling on Hon Tayo Ayinde, Dr Finnih and all our leaders we are begging them that it is time for a woman as chairman Onigbongbo LCDA. Asiwaju said he has no candidate so why this sudden turnaround of imposing on us, we want Barr Rakiya Hassan”.
Another protester Mrs Bola Balogun averred that “We are tired of serving men, we want Rakiya Funke Hassan. We need to have sense of belonging, so we want Rakiya, no Funke no vote”
Mrs. Odu Pricilla “Since the history of Ikeja Federal Constituency no woman has been giving the chance to become the council chairman, we are aware that there is petition against the present chairman they are imposing on us now, we were told he embezzled almost 300 million, which can’t account for, is that the kind of person they are giving us?” asking rhetorically.
She further stated that “They have been sending messages that they will kill anyone of us me, Igbo, Alegbe, Bola Balogun, that they target to kill us, but as of now I will call my family members to inform them that if anything should happen to me, whoever touches me… The late Chairman Oke, usually give we widows 30 naira monthly, since his death I have never receive anything and you expect me to work for who, with or without the council I will live my life, but this is injustice against women”.
“I am begging our leader to look into this matter because they can’t impose someone who isn’t clean. We begging our leaders to look into it, because they saw the crowd that little girl (Barr Rakiya Hassan) pulled day before yesterday (Tuesday) they went to tell our overall leader (Asiwaju Tinubu) this and that, I can’t reach him but I know only God can decide anything that will happen to human being”.
Another protester also told our correspondent that “We have been having men as chairman of the council, when Rakiya came out both women, youths and men all came out to give her support her, but what we’re hearing now, I don’t want to believe this is coming from our leader, that someone who embezzled over 3.. million naira is the one they want to imposed on us, we are tired of imposition, they should give women chance to make things better in the council, women are the best managers, we know how to manage resources, when you give women chance you give a nation chance”.
“We are begging our leaders to look into this matter because women are the builders of the nation, we are not here to fight or abuse our leaders. If they allow Rakiya Hassan to become the Chairman of Onigbongbo LCDA things will turnaround better for both the youths, women, children and even the men. She has good plan for the people of Onigbongbo LCDA in terms of education, empowerment, infrastructure development and a host of others, she is ready to do these things for us”.
“Look at our roads that the incumbent said he has done yet the roads has not been done. We want a good change. We are begging our leaders to listen to the voice of the masses, they should listen to the voice of women, they should listen to the voice of the youth and should also listen to the voice of all the people of Onigbongbo” she concluded.
The women who converged at the GAC leader home at about 4pm were their till 10pm when our correspondent left the place and they vowed to continue till their demand are answered.
All efforts to reach the leaders as at the time publishing this report was abortive.
