By B. B. King

The unifying structure and strength of every political party, anywhere in the world, is women.

They always constitute above 60 percent of the membership of such political parties. They are mostly always the ones that constitute the political gatherings, giving them life. And in Africa, especially, including Nigeria, the women party members are considered as the salt, the flavour of such parties.
The reason, then, why the choice of a woman leader is not only with caution but, equally, requires lots and lots of wisdom as the position is that unit that ties all other units of the party structure together, giving it strength, cohesion, and, of course, vitality.
Choosing an appropriate and qualified female leader is keeping the party structure strong and appointing a successor to one is making the structure more fortified, only if the best qualified is appointed. Reason why the All Progressives Congress (APC) cannot afford to look beyond the person of Hon. Omorede E. Osifo, current deputy national treasurer of the party who hails from Edo State.
And, rightly so, too. She is not just qualified with regards to her many credentials, she is equally eligible in line with the party position on the zoning of national positions and recent developments as it concerns the continued unity, cohesion and a sense of equity and fairness.
Considering that the immediate past National Women Leader, Dr. Betta Edu, has been further compensated and elevated to a minister of the Federal Republic, there is need to choose another in her stead. However, reports have it that Dr. Edu has chosen to unilaterally install a successor, not only from her state but also from the same Senatorial zone. As such, the favoured has started parading as the National Women Leader, even as it is rumoured that she has opened an online platform to that effect. This defies common sense and runs foul of every spirit of fair play as Cross Rivers now has two ministerial nominees. Further, a minister cannot come from the same Senatorial zone as a national officer of the ruling party. This defies and runs foul of the spirit of equity, one of the pivots on which the APC, as a national party, stand.
In the light of the above, it is only reasonable for a replacement for the post of the National Women Leader to come from another state of the South South region.
Hon. Omorede E. Osifo is already a member of the national leadership of the APC who would be familiar with the workings of the executive body as she presently serves in the capacity of the Deputy National Treasurer. Elevating her to the position of the National Women Leader will be a smooth transition process even as it would afford Edo State more sense of belonging in national political participation both at the level of governance and, of course, in party hierarchy.
What qualifies Hon. Osifo and what is she bringing to the table of the National Women Leader? In her late 50s, she attended the University of Benin (UNIBEN), where she graduated with a B.Sc. Honours degree in Economics and Statistics in 1987 and an M.Sc in Banking and Finance, from the same university, in 1997.
She also attended the prestigious Harvard University John F Kennedy School of Government for an Executive Postgraduate Certificate in Innovations in Governance in 2005 and has worked in several banks both in Nigeria and the United States of America. In the Mortgage Solutions, Schaumburg Illinois, USA, she rose to the position of Team Head before returning to Nigeria in 2000 to actively participate in politics and where she started an NGO called Advancement for Women in Democracy (AWID), a springboard for encouraging women to actively participate in politics and running for political office. AWID has helped in making a lot of Nigerian women politically active and to run for political office.
In 2003, she was appointed Commissioner Arts, Culture and Tourism in Edo State where she pioneered the first-ever Cultural Exchange Programme between Nigeria and Germany in 2004. The cultural exchange which took place in Bochum afforded Nigerian artists the rare opportunity of acting side-by-side with the Germans in Shakespeare’s Tempest. She was also responsible for making the Igue Festival of Edo State an approved national festival. She was the brain behind a TV Show called ‘Jewel Talk with Omorede’ where a lot of Nigerian Actors were showcased to the public. She brought a lot of innovations to the office and has been acclaimed the best Commissioner of Arts, Culture and Tourism in Edo State.
In 2005, she was appointed as pioneer Special Adviser to Edo State Governor on Intergovernmental Affairs with office in Abuja thus serving as the representative of Edo State Government in Abuja where she handled most relationships between the state government and foreign representatives/ Ambassadors as well as acted as a link between the Federal Government and Edo State Government.
In 2013, Omorede was again appointed as Commissioner for Youths and Sports, Edo State where she also performed meritoriously and brought a lot of innovations into the office.
In acknowledgement of her service to Edo State, the then Oba of Benin, His Royal Majesty, Oba Erediauwa, gave her the prestigious Royal Benin Beads thus making her, at the time, the youngest beaded Edo woman.
Omorede Osifo also galvanised women from all states in Nigeria including FCT to mobilise for Mr. President in the presidential elections as the National President of Tinubu Women and Children Foundation. She worked extremely hard for Mr President’s emergence and she travelled the nooks and Crannies of Nigeria.
Presently serving as Edo State representative at the national level of the APC in the capacity of the Deputy National Treasurer of the party, serving in a higher capacity would definitely be an opportunity to bring her wealth of experience to better the lives of the women within the party as well as mobilise for more women to join the fold.
Omorede Osifo is a tested and trusted mentor of women and good administrator of people and funds. Allowing an Edo State representative for the Office of the National Woman Leader of the APC would, no doubt be a vote for justice, equity and fairness.

• King writes from Benin City