Activist urges Bello to create opportunity for election of 3 women into Kogi State Assembly

Governor of Kogi State, Yahaya Bello has been called upon to provide an enabling ground that will position and elect at least three women from the three Senatorial Districts as members of the State House of Assembly in the 2023 general election.

Idris Abdul Miliki, the Executive Director of Conscience for Human Rights and Conflict Resolution (CHRCR), said this Halims Hotel Lokoja during a one-day meeting with CSOs and Partners with the theme Prioritising Anti-Corruption and Accountability Issues towards 2023 election, adding that women participation in politics in the state was too low, pointing out that out of the 25 members of the state assembly, no single woman was elected as member.

Miliki equally expressed worry that the Kogi State assembly has become an appendage of the governor, saying it is an abnormal situation when the assembly refused to call for public hearing and debate on the 2022 budget draft where the governor office alone was allocated over N56billion.

He reiterated the need for the voices of citizens to be strengthened against anti-corruption and the demand for accountability from Government, appointed and elected Representatives and called on media practitioners and the citizens to ask aspirants of what anti – corruption agenda they have for the people before they are elected into office.

In order to promote anti-corruption and accountability, Miliki called on citizens and Frontline candidates of Political parties to prioritise anti- corruption, accountability and inclusion reforms and commitment and also called on all the registered political parties in the state to include women and the disable in their state Exco, noting that citizens groups and election Support coalition should canvas for affirmative action and Social inclusion.

He lamented that 2023 remains a defining moment for Nigerians to make informed choices based on the issue of anti-corruption and accountability, while he urged CSOs, citizens to demand reforms towards improving electoral accountability as well as call for more participation of vulnerable and marginalised groups like women, youths and persons living with disabilities.

He equally called on the Kogi State Independent Electoral Commission to as a matter of fact publish the results of 2020 local government election, as he described the activities of the commission as laced with corruption and not being accountable after one year of election.