By Oludamisi Ojo
The wife of Ondo state governor, Mrs Betty Anyanwu-Akeredolu has said that her senatorial bid in Imo state is to fight for the Interest and rights of women.

Mrs Akeredolu dropped this hint in Akure during her decoration as the golden mother of a group in Ondo states.
According to her, it was high time women sat at the decision table for effective and developmental programmes.

Mrs Akeredolu also hailed women who had been at the forefront of the struggle saying more voices were needed to address the plight of women In Nigeria.

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Already, Mrs Anyanwu-Akeredolu has played host to female Aspirants who are vying for elective positions, under the All Progressive Congress (APC), the party come to the 2023 general election as a step toward increasing female representation in the state.

The meeting, which was held at the Rotunda Hall of the Government House Ground, Alagbaka Akure, the state capital, was aimed at strategizing to ensure more women clinch the party’s tickets.

Addressing the gathering, Mrs Akeredolu noted that the move was borne out of her interest in ensuring that the state has more women in the legislative houses who would champion the cause of womanhood.

Mrs Akeredolu who is also a senatorial Aspirant for Imo East senatorial district was excited by the number of women who indicated an interest into contest, saying: ” I’m very proud about it”.

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Commenting on the Women’s O’clock 2023 Movement, she said “Most times, women have been walking in parallel lines and achieving very little; but if we see this as our project and come together, we will be stronger”.

Mrs Akeredolu, who expressed readiness to support their ambitions, however, advised whoever among them discovered that the political atmosphere in her constituency was too tense and won’t favour her to step back and prepare for the future.

Reacting to their presentations, she said: “You all did well, I could see some of you that will do well if you have the opportunity to be in the state Assembly or National Assembly”.

She lamented the problem of resistance to female leadership which dominates the Nigerian political system, saying “that resistance is why we need to break the barrier”.

Mrs Akeredolu charged young women with political ambitions to start with local positions which have lesser obstacles and gain ground before aspiring to higher offices.

She, therefore, reiterated the readiness of Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu towards creating a favourable atmosphere to increase female representation in the coming elections.

Earlier in an address, the State Commissioner for Women Affairs and Social Development, Dr Adebunmi Osadahun, informed the Wife of the Governor that, to show how serious, determined and ready they are to increase female representation in the state, they’ve formed a Women O’clock 2023 Campaign Movement.

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According to her, the movement which was made official today would also be launched in Imo State in support of the ambition of the First Lady to represent Imo East Senatorial district, as a way of appreciating her efforts in ensuring that female representation increased in the state.

The Commissioner enjoined the female Aspirants on the need to be proactive in party activities and meet eligibility requirements.

Also speaking, the Special Adviser to the Governor on Gender, Mrs Olamide Falana, affirmed that Ondo women had never had it so good as this, and lauded the First Lady for the initiative.

She said: “This is pure mentoring. Perhaps, if we’ve had this in the past we will not have only one woman in the House of Assembly right now and I know that we are going forward to rewrite this narrative”.