Bayelsa chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Women Forum has expressed concern over the continued exclusion of its members from political appointments under President Bola Tinubu’s administration.
Chairperson of the forum, Dame Julie Donli, made the appeal in a statement issued on Monday in Abuja, stressing that women in the party who contributed significantly to the president’s electoral victory deserved to be included in governance.
Donli, a former Director-General of the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP), argued that the forum comprises technocrats and professionals capable of making valuable contributions to the Renewed Hope Agenda if given the opportunity.
She urged the APC leadership to prioritise women’s representation in appointments at both federal and state levels, citing Tinubu’s campaign promise to allocate at least 35 per cent of political positions to women.
Despite their efforts, Donli said Bayelsa APC women had been overlooked in key appointments, which she described as disheartening and demoralising.
“Now, we are two years into the administration’s victory we helped to deliver, yet not a single one of us has been appointed or acknowledged,” she said.
She added that many women had invested their time, energy, and resources in the campaign, with some paying the ultimate price, only to be left without recognition.
Donli emphasised the forum’s strong connection to grassroots voters in Bayelsa, saying their mobilisation efforts were crucial to the party’s performance, especially in remote riverine communities that others struggled to access.
She recalled the women’s active involvement in the campaign of First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, highlighting how they traversed the state to deliver support for the party.
“Our dedication and hard work have been undervalued, while others who didn’t contribute as much are being rewarded,” she lamented.
The forum called on President Tinubu and the APC leadership to address the exclusion urgently, warning that prolonged neglect could damage morale and affect the party’s future in the state.
(NAN)