CANDIDATES BOYCOTT DIALOGUE WITH WOMEN

All the 18 candidates in the Ekiti State governorship election yesterday shunned a women’s dialogue organised by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Ado-Ekiti, the state capital.

The forum, held in conjunction with the Women Consortium of Nigeria (WOCON) and supported by the United Nations Development Programme’s Governance for Development Project (DGD), was attended by women from different professional bodies, parties and trade groups.

But the deputy governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress, Prof. Modupe Adelabu, was at the event, which was also attended by Erelu Bisi Fayemi.

On behalf of Governor Kayode Fayemi , Prof Adelabu signed a document tagged: “12-Point Agenda,” which listed what was described as “the social contract between the governorship candidates and women of Ekiti State” with WOCON.

In a brief remark, Adelabu said: “12-Point Agenda” reflected Fayemi’s achievements on protection of women from rape, victimisation and oppression, promising that “the APC will improve on the gains recorded so far”.

Accord Party (AP), which was represented by a ward executive member from Ikole Local Government, Mrs. Mary Obayemi, explained some of the programmes which the party promised to implement in relation to women empowerment if it secured a win in the election.

Also, a Labour Party (LP) member from ward II in Oye Local Government, Mrs. Modupe Awoseyinla, and a Peoples Democratic Party leader from Moba Local Government, Mrs. Lucia Oluyede, were disallowed from signing the contract on behalf of their respective governorship candidates.