An aspirant for next year’s Kogi West senatorial race, Mrs. Doyin Ibikunle, has attributed her decision to contest in 2019 to the bad performance so far by men elected in the past. The business tycoon and philanthropist made the above remark when he spoke to reporters in Kabba, Kogi State, shortly after an empowerment programme for about 300 women in Kabba/Bunu Local Government.
Ibikunle said she decided to run for an elective office, after 15 years of humanitarian service to her community with the sole aim of rescuing her people. She recalled that in the history of Kogi West district, no woman has represented the people at the Senate, pointing out that the time had come for the people to test a woman.
This, she noted, became imperative as a result of the “absence of basic infrastructure and evidences of poverty everywhere”. She expressed her displeasure over the deplorable condition of roads in Okunland, noting that the road constructed by a French construction company during the First Republic, had become impassable.
She admitted that she had no political godfathers or sponsors, but was motivated by her people, especially women. Ibikunle who is contesting on the platform of All Progressives Congress (APC) said the ruling party had not done badly, after just two years in office.
She said the change mantra was on course and that with more time, the benefits of the hard times being experienced in the country would materialize for the good of the populace.
The aspirant however predicted that beyond party affiliations, elections in 2019 would be won more based on individual popularity.
She said: “There is so much poverty in the community. Everywhere you go you see poverty written all over the faces of the people. I am in the race for the election to the Senate in 2019 to rescue my people, because the men representing us have not been doing well. No single federal presence worth that name in Kogi West, especially in Okunland. As I am speaking with you, the road that the French construction company, Dumez, gave us in 1960s is the same road my people are plying; it is even worse than when it was first constructed.
“I think the people need a change. They want to try a woman and I believe I am up to the task. I have accepted the challenge to champion the course of my people. Moreover, there are places where they have women representing them. In such places, men have not been able to break their good records. So, I want to be like Mama Taraba, I want to be like Binta.”
No fewer than 300 widows in Kabba received some relief items, including food stuff, from her non-governmental organisation, Doyin and Suzan Foundation, with emphasis on empowerment of women, especially widows.
“Women empowerment is critical for the eradication of poverty in the society.
It is estimated that 115 million widows worldwide live in extreme poverty along with their children. Therefore, giving adequate attention to our widows is long overdue, especially the vulnerable ones.
Ibikunle added: “It is my humble belief that this occasion will mark a turning point in the life of our widows and bring succour to them through empowerment and various skills acquisition programmes.”
She said that the foundation had last December distributed relief items, including food stuff worth N12 million, to about 2,000 widows in Yagba Federal Constituency. She promised that the gesture would cut across the seven local government areas in the district.
Credit: The Nation
