Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, has called on women in the state to mobilise support for the presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Bola Tinubu, ahead of 2023 general election, saying he (Tinubu) revived the economy of the state from bankruptcy in 1999 as governor.

Sanwo-Olu, who spoke at the closing ceremony of the 22nd National Women’s Conference of the Committee of Wives of Lagos State Officials (COWLSO) in Lagos on Thursday, said the way to build the nation of the citizens’ dreams was for women to mobilise their family to vote for Tinubu who he said has a track excellent performance.

The governor, who was represented by his deputy, Dr Obafemi Hamzat, said: “We are a nation of history and part of our problem as a nation is that we have forgotten our history; is that we have westernised ourselves, is that we have broken our developmental trend. How do we bring it back? We must bring it back by allowing people who have precedents to do the work. It is as simple as that.

“Look at how beautiful and impactful this conference had been. It is because everybody came together to work hard led by a very competent First Lady. So, if we want a nation our own children and grandchildren will be happier than us, it is time to vote for a man who has done it before.

“There are no two ways about it; we must look at what people have done and how they have done it. People forget that in 1999, Lagos State was bankrupt; this state does not have a single ambulance in 1999.

“Only seven percent of the roads in Lagos State were tarred in 1999. So, a lot has happened and the foundation was laid by the man Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

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“We are not being sentimental; we are just saying let us move our country forward. We belong in the nation of the disciplined and respected not just we go somewhere and they are saying Nigerians should move to one side. No! We are a very important people and the future of the black man in the world rests on Nigeria and we should not miss this opportunity,” Sanwo-Olu said.

Also speaking, Borno State Governor, Babagana Zulum, called for deliberate actions against hurdles that stifle development of women and their participation in governance and development.

Zulum, who was represented by the Borno State Attorney General and Commissioner of Justice, Hauwa Abubakar, said: “These hurdles undermine women’s ability to fully contribute to societal development which is exacerbated by poverty and lack of skills and formal education in our communities.

“We must strive hard to improve the situation of young women in Lagos and Nigeria by collaborating with well-meaning individuals, groups and organisations.

“We must, therefore, recognise community leadership and civic engagement skills as essential tools that will enable young women to participate in governance and development.

“There is need for collective action by men, women and youths in addressing existing barriers. This can generate more innovative and effective outcomes.”

In her remarks, Lagos State First Lady and COWLSO Chairman, Dr. Ibijoke Sanwo-Olu, said with the high-level participation of political and economic leaders and women from across the country as well as the quality of contributions during the interactive sessions at the conference, she was confident that the discussions would elevate the status of women to spring forth and stand out in all spheres of life in line with the theme.

She also urged the Federal Government to address Nigeria’s porous borders and other security challenges, just as she said women have a key role to play in tackling insecurity in the country.

She further enjoined women to embrace forward thinking mindset, saying: “Henceforth, our women in Nigeria must be forward thinking and unite to move forward.”

At the event, a posthumous award was presented to the late South-West APC Women Leader, Chief (Mrs) Kemi Nelson.

Other award recipients were the wife of the first civilian governor of Lagos State, Abimbola Jakande, and media personality, Funmi Iyanda.

The Star