Women organisations in Lagos State have called on members of the state House of Assembly to work towards the emergence of a female Speaker.

The organisations, Women Advocates Re-search and Documentation Centre, WARDC; Women Consortium of Nigeria, WOCON, and Women Law and Development Centre, WLDCN, agreed that there was need for Lagos Assembly to elect a woman to lead the House.

In a statement, Dr. Abiola Akiyode-Afolabi, Executive Director of WARDC, and Coordinator of Gender Dialogue Platform; and Mrs Olabisi Olagbegi, South-West Coordinator of Women Empowerment Unit of the Federal Ministry of Women Affairs, and Executive Director of WOCON, said Lagos must consider a female Speaker who was tested and trusted.

They said: “The state should show it is progre-ssive and women-friendly.”

The NGOs supported the candidacy of Mrs. Funmilayo Tejuosho, who they said “had spent 12 years in the House, shown diligence and exceptional leadership qualities.”