2023 Elections: It’s Free Forms For Women By Political Parties At All Levels – Adesanya-Davies

– Women should unite and fund female political candidates during 2023 elections— Professor Funmi Para-Mallam

A female presidential aspirant under the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Prof Funmilayo Adesanya- Davies has sent a reminder to all Nigerian women towards 2023 Elections, stating it loud and clear that they should remember: “It’s Free Forms For Women by All Political Parties At All Levels” at a Ladies Wing meeting of National Coalition for Female Presidency (NCFP) in Lagos yesterday. Why will women only come out to vote and not be voted for? She asks? I dare us all to come out as men folks boldly and courageously to contest in 2023 elections. – Adesanya-Davies said.

Adesanya-Davies said, as for me, “I will contest! I have a dream, that one day, a woman will emerge as the President of Nigeria, and the dream is now!!! We, women need to try our best in 2023 at all levels. From now onwards, every woman should endeavour to speak to at least fifty women to vote for a ‘woman President,’ in Nigeria. Tell five women daily from now till 2023 elections. Remember, Martin Luther King Jr. said, ‘Your happiness starts from you and not from someone else.’ So should all the Nigerian youth and all the ‘he for she’ and all the men campaign and vote for the first female president in Nigeria in 2023. This could and would be the only functional approach.”

She is the current Country President and International Director of United Nations Positive Livelihood Award Centre (UN-POLAC) International Peace Advocates. She said that, “when intelligent, dedicated and women of excellence are empowered and put in top political positions, corruption, lack of development and all forms of vices and violence in their entirety can completely be exhumed from Nigeria.” Now, she again wants to become the first Female president of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, let’s think over it, let’s seriously consider her as they have all muted and give her a chance – Both at the primaries and at the general elections, in order to move our nation forward.

In a similar development, in a report by Abiodun-Olujimi, Punch Newspapers stated that, Professor Funmi Para-Mallam, a member of the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies, NIPSS, Kuru, has urged women to unite and fund female political candidates during elections. Para-Mallam, a specialist in Gender and Development Studies, made the call while summarising commitments by various women groups at the National Women’s Dialogue.

“News Agency of Nigeria reports that several Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs), Civil Society Organisations (CSOs), religious groups, ethnic groups, market women groups and others attended the three-day dialogue. According to her, women should unite, choose good female representatives that will protect and advocate for their rights, as well as fund the election to enable more women to participate in political elective positions. She said “We cannot get this done without sacrifices. We have to make sacrifices, put our money where our mouths are. Let’s bring out our widow’s mite,’’ she said.

Several women spokespersons were in attendance to speak for their different groups. Aisha Dukku, Chairperson, House Committee on Electoral Reforms, House of Representatives, called on more women to join political parties to enable them to choose female candidates to represent the party during elections. She reiterated the need for female political aspirants to be accessible to people at the grassroots, not only during elections, to enable them to emerge victorious.

The Chief Whip, House of Representatives, Ms Nkiruka Onyejiocha, called for more female representation in governance to enable them to implement laws like the Child Rights Act, which would further address issues concerning women and children.

On her part, Senator Abiodun Olujimi advised women to mentor and encourage young women to participate actively in politics. She said “The time has come for us to be willing to be mentors, let us drop all the airs and stop running away from women. Let us help each other and it is in doing this that we get to where we are going.”

Mrs Bisi Fayemi, wife of Ekiti State Governor and Founder of African Women Development Fund, stressed the need for women to speak with one voice to address gender-based violence and discrimination against women. She said, “We want a Nigeria where girls can reach their full potential, be given appointments without trade by barter, be treated with due respect and not as sex slaves, where they can aspire to be Presidents, Senators and others.”

Mrs Mary Ekpere-Eta, the Director General, National Centre for Women Development (NCWD), said that the dialogue was a clear demonstration of women’s commitment toward promoting gender equality and empowerment of women. She said “It is important for us to reflect as women, what we want, following the poor outcomes for women in the 2019 general elections and representations at all levels of governance.

“This occasion is indeed a time for Nigerian women to set goals for ourselves and with our daughters, who are the emerging generation side-by-side with us to shape a future and a tomorrow where no one is left behind and gender equality is a norm.’’ Mrs Priscilla Ankut, the Component Manager, Access to Justice for Women, Children and Persons with Disabilities, Rule Of Law and Anti-Corruption (RoLAC) Project, stressed the need to end all forms of gender based violence.

The Ira-Kwara State born Princess and academic-turned politician Prof. Funmilayo Adesanya- Davies explained that it’s very possible for a woman to emerge as Nigeria’s president in 2023. She challenged the PDP and the All Progressives Congress (APC) to adopt the direct primaries for electing their presidential candidates, saying such will make the new Electoral Bill policy adaptable, effective and useful; while requesting all women to vote for female presidency.