Dr (Mrs) Adejoke Adekanmbi-Akinseye, an aspirant into the House of Representatives, has called for inclusion of more women in politics and public policies, noting that this will fast-track national development.
The House of Representatives aspirant, a Ph.D (Mathematics) holder, seeks to contest the 2023 elections to represent Ibadan North-East/South-East Federal Constituency on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
While speaking with newsmen in Ibadan, the founder of Aderoju Ayoade Adekanmbi Foundation, said the time has come for women to be given more recognition and more roles to foster national development.
She said women have been sidetracked for too long in the affairs of the country, especially politics and decision-making, and thanked those who have recently been pushing for 35 per cent women inclusion.
“If women are given the chance, this country will be transformed. Women are natural leaders. Women are compassionate. Women are intelligent and are full of passions. Women are full of potentials.
“You will see them in many informal sectors, and they are doing fine. Give them a chance, include them in decision-making and you will see how great this county will be.
“Give them the opportunity to serve as leaders in policy-making, you will see how far they can go in moving the country forward. When women are involved in a project, there is every tendencies for such project to be successful.
“I really thank the people who are working on more inclusion of women in decision-making in the county. I thank the men and women who have been advocating the 35 per cent women inclusion.
“I also thank Governor Seyi Makinde and and President Muhammadu Buhari for also supporting women to be included in decision-making, and so many other leaders of our country,” she said.
Speaking on her ambition, Dr (Mrs) Adejoke Adekanmbi-Akinseye said it was informed by the desire to serve her people and Oyo State at a higher level, having been involved in community development in her personal capacity.
She said she has passion for education, women empowerment, widows’ welfare, youth entrepreneurship programme and medical outreach.
The PDP House of Representatives aspirant said she has, since the past seven years, and through her Foundation, empowered more than 100 vulnerable boys in different parts of her constituency.
She claimed to have trained and rehabilitated several area boys at the Bere/Ojaa’ba axis of Ibadan in the last seven years, adding that many of these boys are already taking their minds off crimes and other vices.
“I want to serve as a legislator to enact laws that would impact positively on the lives of the people. I want to go to the House of Representatives to join other legislators to make laws that would change the lives of the people.
“I am not closing my eyes to the needs of the people. With prayer, understanding and the support of my people, I should be able to make my own little difference.
“My people in Ibadan North-East/South-East are the ones backing me, pushing me to contest, having seen what I have been doing for them at the grassroots level.
“What most of the lawmakers are doing now is what I have been doing in the past seven years, using my own money. I can only do more and even improve on it because it is my passion and it comes naturally to me,” the PDP House of Representatives aspirant said.