ASIWAJU 2023: ‘WOMEN FOR SWAGA’ PROMISES FIVE MILLION WOMEN VOTES; GROUP LAUNCHES OUT MONDAY 9TH MAY
By Oki Samson, Trek Africa Newspaper
L-R: National PRO, Women for SWAGA, Aarebinrin Folashade Olabanji-Oba; Chairman, Women for SWAGA, Hon. Omobolanle Akinyemi-Obe; Treasurer, Women for SWAGA, Deaconess Nkem Sofela and Lagos Coordinator, Women for SWAGA, Chief Hajiya Fatima Bello during the Press Conference
A sociopolitical group, Women for Southwest Agenda for Asiwaju (SWAGA) is out to get five million women voters for Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu by the upcoming elections. The group made this audacious declaration during a press briefing covered by Trek Africa Newspaper held yesterday ahead of its formal launch on 9th May.
The Chairman of the group, Women for SWAGA, Hon. Omobolanle Akinyemi-Obe shared: ‘We want to mobilize 5 million women for Asiwaju. That’s why we are launching out at this time because our women are very active. We are the ones who produce delegates. After primaries, we are the ones that produce the voters.’
L-R: Yeye Yinka Olaiya; Olori Aderonke Erinle; National PRO, Women for SWAGA, Aarebinrin Folashade Olabanji-Oba; Chairman, Women for SWAGA, Hon. Omobolanle Akinyemi-Obe during the Press Conference
On why they are making the move for Asiwaju, she told Trek Africa Newspaper, ‘We want the presidency to be rotated to the Southwest but we can’t do it alone. It is a national thing. We have to tell all geopolitical zones to mobilize en masse their delegates does someone who will stand for women to be involved. We want to build a strong platform for Asiwaju. He is an advocate of 60% representation for women to be recognized. In his cabinet in 1999, there were about 30% women representation. It was during his time we had women as Director-Generals, Permanent Secretaries and so on. We need delegates for him to achieve this feat nationally.’
‘We are launching this idea in Lagos because we know there is primaries and congresses ahead of us’, the former Chairman of Coker-Aguda LCDA said.
L-R: Mrs. Adebimpe Banjo; Olori Aderonke Erinle; Chairman, Women for SWAGA, Hon. Omobolanle Akinyemi-Obe; Executive Chairman, Coker-Aguda LCDA, Hon Rasaq Ibrahim Olamilekan; Lagos Coordinator, Women for SWAGA, Chief Hajiya Fatima Bello; Yeye Yinka Olaiya; National PRO, Women for SWAGA, Aarebinrin Folashade Olabanji-Oba and Treasurer, Women for SWAGA, Deaconess Nkem Sofela during the Press Conference
Aarebinrin Folashade Olabanji-Oba, National PRO for Women for SWAGA – we all know the importance of women in the society for us to say there is no other choice than Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu. We believe in him, we trust in him. He would be the only person at this time who has his wife in the Senate to tell you that he is not afraid of women leading. You have to show something by acting it. Everybody knows Lagos leads other states. We didn’t just start now. For about 2 years, we have been telling him that Nigeria needs no other one than him. We want someone with the wealth of experience. Victory is assured come 2023′, she told Trek Africa Newspaper.
The State Coordinator, Women for SWAGA, Lagos, Chief Hajiya Fatima Bello added: ‘Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu is someone we believe in so much because of his passion for women. That’s why we are out canvassing for him for president.’
Speaking on the events of the launch slated for 9th May, the Treasurer of the group, Deaconess Nkem Sofela said: ‘We are going to have a conference, launching, and medical outreach on 9th of May. We are doing this to make women aware of our candidate, to prepare their PVCs, to tell their friends, and to tell their neighbors. It is time for women to gather to make the country move. We are the organizers and we are the ones that put things together. We don’t want women to lag behind or stay on the fence. If you don’t participate in politics, you can’t complain. We want to change the story starting with Tinubu at the helm of affairs.
By the Grace of God, he will get there. We will do eye screening, dental clinic, blood sugar measurement. There are doctors from the ministry who will do that. We will also recognize with awards the people who have done well in Lagos.’
Also speaking at the press briefing, members of the group affirmed their unshakable stand behind Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu. Olori Aderonke Erinle, member, WOMEN IN SWAGA, Lagos said: ‘the purpose of our gathering is to support our father, mentor, the person we believe can take Nigeria to Canaanland. He is tested and trusted. Lagos has set the standard for others to follow. He is someone to trust.’
‘Again we are a group of women who feel we can step out to encourage more women and vote for who we think can do it. Women have to be involved. We need to register and get our PVCs. By God’s Grace, 2023 is done’, she noted.
Adebimpe Banjo said: ‘we are here to propagate our aspirant, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu. Our message is simple. We want women to be duly represented in government. We want our voices to be heard.’
On Asiwaju Tinubu, Mrs. Banjo said: ‘From his antecedent, I see him as a role model. He is diligent, hardworking, God-fearing, and has the interest of the masses at heart’.
Also Adetoro Baiyewu added: ‘Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu is a role model to lot of us. He has transformed lives, made people and someone we can believe in.’
‘From this sitting, I can tell he has touched different lives that you know and that I know. With little or nothing as allocation, he raised the IGR of the state and he didn’t relent in his efforts’, Trek Africa Newspaper gathered from the community of women.
