2015: House leader urges women to go beyond talk

Leader of the House of Representatives,  Mrs  Mulikat Akande-Adeola, has called on women to go beyond talk to increase their political participation in  2015 and beyond.

Speaking Monday at the stakeholders meeting on the outcome of the Nigerian women’s strategy conference in Abuja, she called on women to begin by tackling the task ahead of them.
She urged women leaders to form forums of female politicians across the states saying she just initiated a PDP South-West Women Forum.
Akande who had convened a national conference called The Nigerian Women Strategy Conference, with the theme “Building Bridges of opportunity: 2015 Elections and beyond”  from February 17 to 18 this year, said the stakeholders meeting was meant to address  issues resulting from resolutions from the national conference, and also exert commitments from stakeholders towards

the realization of outcome of the conference.
Presenting a work plan on implementing the conference’s resolutions, Hajiya Saudatu Mahdi of the Women’s Rights Advancement and Protection Alternative (WRAPA) said they will engage INEC to entrench, transparency and level playing field in the electoral process, engage political parties to  implement 35% affirmative action, broaden relationship with the media , develop strategies to help resolve fund raising to support women , among others.
Mahdi said insurgency is further decreasing the number of women in politics hence the need to influence urgent action to curb electoral violence.
PDP Women leader, Dr Kema Chikwe while outlining her activities towards mobilizing women for participation in 2015 called on women to share information on security saying every terrorist has a mother.
APC women leader, Sharon Ikeazu said there is need to get more women into executive positions of parties because the executive have a say on who emerges candidates of the various parts.