The Bayelsa All Progressives Congress (APC) Women Forum has called for the inclusion of its members in political appointments by the Bola Tinubu-led administration.
Chairperson of the forum, Dame Julie Donli, made the call in a statement issued on Monday in Abuja.
Donli, a former director-general of NAPTIP, said that the forum had enough technocrats and professionals who could add much value to 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 the 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.
“Our women have not been compensated for all their pains and sacrifices, and we feel neglected.
“As Bayelsa APC women, we want to advocate that we should be carried along in all the party’s affairs, not just in the state, but at the federal level.
“We are closer to the party women at the grassroots, the largest voting bloc in the state, and so our demography should not be neglected,” she said.
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 hard work 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 their support base.
According to her, prolonged silence and exclusion can have severe consequences for the party’s future prospects in the state.
