A group of Lagos women are determined to ensure women and indeed the electorate do not err in the forthcoming elections.

By Charles Kumolu

The group of four ladies from different professions and backgrounds are united with the common bond of ensuring that women and the electorate are not misled in the ensuring electoral contests. All four women who visited the corporate headquarters of Vanguard Media Limited in their mobilisation drive are also driven by a passion to ensure that the elections are v iolence free.

The quartet of Ifeyinwa Osime, Amaka Okosieme, Oluchi Chibueze and Theresa Ijewere are the linchpins of the Coalition of Concerned Women For Good Governance, CCWGG spearheading town hall meetings to enable political office contestants showcase their stock for the electorate.

The initiative of the group is being sponsored by the Erelu Abiola Foundation, ERAF and is to start tomorrow with a debate by the governorship candidates in Lagos State.

Ijewere, vice-chairperson of the six person organising committee cited the need to elect leaders, who will have regard for accountability as the main motivation of the group.

“The CCWGG is a non-governmental, non-profit, non partisan organisation set up for the purpose of educating and informing the public and especially women on issues of good governance. CCWGG is committed to raising awareness among Nigerians about the importance of making an informed decision and voting with a clear conscience for the right candidate, knowing that whoever is elected to a political office is accountable to the electorate,’’ she noted.

Explaining further, Ijewere said: “We hope to have a lot of women there. We are involving women groups and other agencies that can also send male representatives. We hope to have a lot of women in attendance. That does not mean that we are gender biased. We want a situation whereby questions affecting women can be asked while suggestions would be made. We also want to ask the various candidates what their plans for women are. It is not going to be a one-off thing.

‘’There would be town hall meetings with the candidates. We want to hold them accountable and responsible. We want a situation whereby we will hold our political office holders accountable when they are elected.”

Lending her voice, Okosieme said: “The project is under Erelu Abiola Foundation. We will also remind participants of the need for voters sensitization. We assume that most of the candidates must have done that, but we have to remind the candidates that they have to be accountable to the people. It is going to be a two-pronged programme.

“There are a couple of other people, who wanted to be part of us but since we are not partisan, we did not allow them. We asked them to come and ask their questions on that day.

“We are concerned about the spate of violence. We will task the aspirants and ask them what they are doing about the spate of violence. We will also sensitize the women groups by telling them that there is nothing to be gained from political violence. But it has to come from our conversation with the aspirants.”

Continuing, she said: “Right now we are focusing on the candidates of the 26 political parties, if they cant come, they can send their representatives. We want the candidates to recognise that they have to be accountable to the people. The point is to ask them questions and hold them accountable when they are elected. We are asking people to believe in this cause because this is the only contra we have.”