Women Protest: I Wont Run A Chauvinistic And Sexist Administration – Governor Abiodun, Pacifies Protesters

By ABIODUN JIMOH, ABEOKUTA
Worried by the women protesters desperation to prevent him from leaving his office in the evening, Ogun State Governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun finally assured protesting women coalition that he would never run a chauvinistic and sexist administration.
The women group protested the governor’s nomination list for commissioners sent last week to the State House of Assembly for approval had earlier stormed the assembly complex where they were addressed by the Speaker’s representative, before moving to the governor’s office.
However, the protesters were deviant of all plea by security agents attached to his office, until the Chief of Staff intervened for a dialogue with the governor late in the evening.
Governor Abiodun gave the assurance during a meeting with the representatives of More Women Coalition Group led by Dr. Abiola Akiyode-Afolabi at his office in Oke Mosan, Abeokuta on Monday.
He assured the protesters that he has a good number of qualified women that have been appointed into key positions in the state and more would still be appointed in the near future.
The governor said he was surprised that he had been misunderstood by the list recently sent to the House of Assembly because some commissioner-nominees who are women are still negotiating with their current employers to take the positions offered them by his government.
“It would be unfair to send their names when they are yet to properly disengaged from their present jobs,” he said.
Prince Abiodun confirmed that his administration could not ignore the women as they have contributed immensely to the socio-economic development of Nigeria and the state in particular. “We are not a chauvinistic or sexist administration. We have women in our midst who are eminently qualified and who are pulling their weight and hold on to their own and will continue to look for more women wherever we can find them to be the right mix for the difference portfolios that we have in this government,” he said. Explaining the composition of his government to the group, Prince Abiodun said a number of women have been made Special Advisers, Senior Special Assistants and Consultants, while his Deputy and the State Head of Service are also women. While stressing the need to be guided by facts when making demands, the Governor noted: “I think that in doing advocacy and in offering representation to women folk, and believing in what we do, we should try and get the facts. 
“Let us be guided by facts and I believe that if we look at the totality of women that we have and the number we will still have, I am sure we will have not less than between 35 to 40 percent representation. “They are not here because people forced them on us, but because they know their onions and we are giving them that respect as well. I have an array of proven women who are cabinet ranking appointees. 
“I did not choose them because anybody arm-twisted or persuaded me. I wanted them because they are eminently qualified and can stand shoulder-to-shoulder with any man. They know what they are doing. “Only last week when the Head of Service retired, we sat down as a team, debated and decided on who should be the successor. We could have chosen a man, again we decided that Mrs. Chokor, a town planner with her antecedents that speak for her and the fact that she is eminently qualified should step into the shoes. “I can assure you that Mrs. Chokor did not have a clue that she was going to be appointed and I did not appoint her because she lobbied or anybody lobbied for her. The news of her appointment was completely a shock to her because I felt she was qualified,” the governor explained. The governor said he was the only one with a women as his deputy in the whole Southern Nigeria, adding that his insistence that a woman should be his deputy started during his nomination as the party (All Progressives Congress) flagbearer, this he said, was an indication that he was gender sensitive. “I know what it took me to convince my party that I wanted a woman as my running mate. In the entire Southern Nigeria, I am the only governor with a female deputy. So, I do not need anyone to lecture me about the place of women in my government. “Deliberately, and it was not by accident, I was determined against all odds that I was going to choose a woman to be my running mate. I think that speaks volume and I think this are the kind of things we should consider before embarking on confrontational protests,” he explained. Governor Abiodun who reiterated the inclusive and participatory policy of his administration, expressed disappointment that the women group didn’t accord the deputy governor the needed respect to address them.
He asked: “I wonder if the women have no respect for the office of the deputy governor. Is the deputy governor not highly placed enough to address women or any group for that matter on issues affecting them. “The deputy governor is a high ranking and distinguished member of this government. The deputy governor, secretary to the state government, and head of service all work as a team.
“And i will imagine any member of this government should be able to represent us as a government satisfactorily to any group that would ask questions.” He acknowledged the right of the citizens to protest after obtaining necessary permit from relevant authorities, however, the governor said he regretted the pain the women group had to go through. He enjoined them to always follow the normal channel of communication with the government to dialogue, rather than engaging on protests. Speaking earlier, leader of the group, Dr. Abiola Afolabi, said women have contributed to the development of the state and country at large and that the group had empowered women through various programmes and advocated for inclusion of more women in governance. Dr. Afolabi pointed out that the group was non political and that the protest was not meant to embarrass the governor. She insisted that 35 percent or more political offices be reserved for women in conformity with the House Resolution, passed by the state house of assembly. She said that the group needed more information on how many women are in cabinet positions in government to enable members take informed decisions on issues concerning them.