Ahead of the 2023 general election, the All Progressives Congress, Ghana Chapter, has advised the party’s presidential candidate, Bola Tinubu, to pick the opposite gender as vice presidential candidate.
In a statement on Friday, the Chairman of APC Ghana, Oghenosa Micheletti, who made the appeal, noted that Tinubu’s choice of a female as deputy led to the emergence of many women as deputy governors in Lagos State.
Micheletti recalled that Tinubu, who fielded a female running mate, Mrs Kofoworola Bucknor-Akerele ((1999-2003), helped him run a successful government.
According to the statement; “What this also means is that when Tinubu wins, Nigeria will have its first female vice president that will go down in history.
“Tinubu’s candidature will ensure victory for APC in 2023 and ultimately, the consolidation of President Muhammadu Buhari’s legacies.
“With a female vice-presidential candidate, Tinubu will be the first presidential candidate of a ruling party to do so, and it will usher in the gender balance that some of us advocate for.
“Tinubu shall consolidate on infrastructure, confront decisively the insecurity challenges in the country, and address the economy, using a more magnifying Lagos State template for the nation.”
Micheletti pledged the support of members of the party in Ghana for the APC in the 2023 General Elections, while applauding the party’s national chairman, Sen. Abdullahi Adamu, for organising a free and fair primary election where the will of the people prevailed.
“We appreciate our president, His Excellency, President Muhammadu Buhari for his exemplary leadership, particularly for not imposing any candidate on the party.
Similarly, the Nigeria Association of Women Journalists (NAWOJ), has advocated for promotion of gender equality in political leadership in Nigeria come 2023, in order to project inclusive governance at all levels.
In a statement signed by the National President, Nigeria Association of Women Journalists (NAWOJ), Ladi Bala, appealed to political parties to consider picking women as running mates.
The statement reads in parts:”It is against this backdrop that the Association hereby appeal to political parties to in the interest of inclusive society and development, consider picking a woman as running mate for the office of president and governors of the respective states.
“It’s worrisome to note that rumours making the rounds are suggestive of male candidates being considered for the office of vice president by political parties. This posture will not only negate the contribution of women to nation building but, also endanger an inclusive governance in Nigeria where all demography clearly indicate the need for a sense of belonging and giving equal opportunity for females to serve at the highest level.
“The time has come for the promotion of gender equality in political leadership in Nigeria to be accorded the center stage particularly as we head towards the 2023 General Elections to help reposition the country and properly situate it in its pride of place and position as the giant of Africa not only in size but in involvement in global discourse.