Some women in Onigbongbo Local Council Development Area (LCDA) in Lagos State, on Friday, staged a peaceful protest against the alleged imposition of Chairmanship candidate by the leaders of All Progressive Congress (APC) against their preferred aspirant, Rakiyah Hassan.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the women stormed the Ikeja GRA residence of Dr Abayomi Finnih, one of the Chieftains of APC in the Area.
They decried the alleged imposition of the incumbent Chairman, Mr Oladotun Olakanle, whom they claimed had been imposed against their wish.
Mrs Kikelomo Adeyemi, who led the protest, said that their major demand was for the party to organise a primary election to ensure their preferred candidate would win the election.
“We want primary, no imposition. It is our time to have a woman as our council chairman, all these women you’re seeing here are loyal party members who have been contributing to the success of APC.
“And this is our only opportunity to have one of our own as chairman, but our leaders want to impose someone else.
“We are calling on Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, we are calling on Hon. Tayo Ayinde, Dr Finnih and all our leaders that we are begging them, it’s time for a woman as chairman of Onigbongbo LCDA.
“The leaders have said they have no candidate, so why this sudden turn around of imposing someone else on us, we want Rakiyah Hassan.”
Another woman, Mrs Bola Balogun, said that the women needed a woman as the next chairman of the council.
“We are tired of men, we want Rakiyah Hassan. `No Hassan No Vote’. We need to have sense of belonging, so we want Hassan,” she added.
Also, Mrs Odu Pricilla said that in the history of Ikeja Federal Constituency, no woman had been given an opportunity to become the council chairman.
“The late Chairman Babatunde Oke, usually gave widows N30, 000 monthly. Since his death, I have never received anything and with or without the council, I will live my life. But this is injustice against women.
“I am begging our leaders to look into this matter because they can’t impose someone; we are begging our leaders to look into it because the crowd that Hassan pulled is too many to be neglected.
“We are begging our leaders to look into this matter because women are the builders of the nation, we are not here to fight or abuse our leaders,’’ she said.
She said that if the women should allow Hassan to become the chairman of Onigbongbo LCDA, things would turn around for the good of all. (NAN)
