Deputy gov’s position, our slot – Ekiti women

 

Women in Ekiti State have said they would not allow the death of the former Deputy Governor, Mrs. Funmilayo Olayinka, to rob them of the position.
The women, under the aegis of National Council of Women Societies, NCWS, and International Federation of Women Lawyers, FIDA, advised men eyeing the position, which became vacant following Olayinka’s death on April 6, to forget the ambition and rather pitch their tent with women.
Although they said they were still mourning their “departed Amazon”, the women said they would, at the appropriate time, root for a woman of substance to emerge as replacement for the late deputy governor.
The President of NCWS in Ekiti State, Evangelist Adenike Obatayo, who said the office had always been a source of pride to women in the state since inception of Governor Kayode Fayemi’s administration, said the council, an umbrella body of women associations in the state, would do “all things possible to ensure a woman gets the position”.
Obatayo, who said there were abundant virtuous and quality women in the state who could occupy the position, advised the men who had been indicating interest in the position to “steer clear of the office”.
She said: “This government and the Action Congress of Nigeria, ACN, are gender-sensitive. The position is for woman and that is what we will root for. Women in Ekiti State have always advocated equality in terms of distribution of offices. So, men should stay away from what belongs to us.”
Likely replacement for the late deputy governor, according to sources in ACN and the government, include the Chairman of the State Universal Basic Education Board, SUBEB, Mrs. Modupe Adelabu (who is a professor); former Commissioner for Tourism and now Special Adviser to the governor, Alhaji Ayodele Jinadu; former Ado Council Chairman and Fayemi’s aide, Chief Bisi Egbeyemi. All of them are natives of Ado-Ekiti, the home town of the late deputy governor.
Although Senator Babafemi Ojudu last weekend denied eyeing the deputy governorship position, sources have continued to mention his name as one of the likely successors, just as some interests said consideration of a woman like the Provost of College of Education, Ikere-Ekiti, Prof. Francisca Aladejana, would be a wise decision in view of her performance.