By Esther Onyegbula

Wife of the Apapa-Iganmu Local Council Development Area, LCDA, Chairperson, Alhaja Kikelomo Layeni-Jimoh, has called on women in the council area to register for and collect their Permanent Voters Cards, PVCs, ahead of the 2027 general elections.

Layeni-Jimoh made the call on Wednesday during the maiden edition of the monthly Women in Politics Stakeholders Forum held at the Anago Hall of the council secretariat.

She said the initiative was designed to mobilise women for greater political participation and civic engagement, while positioning them for leadership opportunities in future elections.

According to her, women must move beyond being passive observers in politics and actively participate in decision-making processes that directly affect their lives and communities.

“This gathering is not another meeting. It is a declaration. A declaration that the women of Apapa-Iganmu will no longer watch politics from the sidelines. We are not just voters; we are leaders. We are builders,” she said.

She noted that politics goes beyond rhetoric and involves decisions that impact education, healthcare, markets and infrastructure, areas where women often bear the greatest burden.

“Politics is not about noise. It is about decisions that affect our children’s schools, our markets, our clinics and our roads. And who feels these things most? Women,” she added.

Layeni-Jimoh explained that the forum would serve as a monthly platform for women to learn, network and prepare themselves for electoral contests, appointments and leadership positions.

She urged participants to embrace knowledge, unity and courage as tools for political advancement, stressing that “you don’t need to shout to be heard.”
The chairperson also encouraged women to continue supporting and praying for their families, noting that stable homes remain the foundation of a progressive society.

Delivering a keynote presentation, Barrister Asiwaju Kemisola Oshodi said women possess a numerical advantage in the political landscape and should leverage their numbers to influence electoral outcomes.

She urged voters to assess political leaders based on sustainable dividends of democracy such as infrastructure development and social amenities rather than temporary financial inducements.

Also speaking, the Executive Chairman of Apapa-Iganmu LCDA, Hon. Jimoh Olawale Saliu, called on party members and residents to remain united and committed to the democratic process.

He stressed the importance of PVC registration and active participation in elections as critical factors for electoral success.
“Total civic readiness through PVC registration and active voting remains paramount to our collective success.

“Our triumph at the polls depends on our shared commitment today. We must work together to ensure that every resident is ready to exercise their democratic rights,” Saliu said.
Earlier, the Vice Chairman of the LCDA, Chief Mrs. Fadekemi Otitonaiye, described women as the backbone of grassroots political mobilisation and a key force in future electoral victories.

Otitonaiye also led participants in prayers for the safe return of abducted children and victims of insecurity across the country.
The event ended with interfaith prayers and a vote of thanks delivered by the Supervisor for Women Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, WAPA, Hon. Rahmat Gbadamosi Ojora.

Among those in attendance were the Iyaloja General of Apapa-Iganmu, Alhaja Abibat Arepo, council supervisors, special assistants, women leaders, market women, representatives of the Christian Association of Nigeria, CAN, the League of Imams, CDC/CDA executives, artisans and female residents of the council area.