The Social Democratic Party (SDP) women leader in Kogi State, Hajia Mariam Salihu, has begged President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and First Lady Oluremi Tinubu to use their good office to stop the politically motivated killings of women in the State.
Addressing a press conference in Lokoja, Salihu stated that women in opposition parties have been living in fear, adding that they have been the target of political thugs in Kogi.
She recalled the incident that happened in 2019 where the women leader of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Mrs Salome Abuh, was burnt alive in her house and the recent killing of another woman in Koton Karfe by political thugs.
The SDP chieftain, who was a former member of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Kogi State, further lamented that women in opposition parties are suffering and can no longer come out to campaign for candidates of their choice over fear of attacks.
She called on both national and international women organisations to also come to their aid.
Her words, “It is not easy as a woman and a mother to see your people running helter skelter without protection. I want to use this opportunity to talk to the President, Bola Ahmed Tinubu to come to our aide in Kogi State. It has not been easy for the women of Kogi State. I watched a video this morning of what happened in Ejule and Ajaka. I couldn’t hold back my tears.
“I saw our women mothers running without protection. It is not funny. I served as Director, Women Mobilization for Tinubu in this same office and we work with our principal Alhaji Muritala Yakubu Ajaka, for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to emerge as President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, nobody chased us. It was free for all. But today we can’t come out to campaign.
“I also want to use this opportunity to talk to all women organization in Nigeria and outside the country to come to our aide in Kogi State. As we all know, violence against women threatens the integrity of election process. Please, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, please come to our aide. We are suffering. The women can no longer come out and do what they are supposed to do.
“Our mother Remi Tinubu, I served, and canvassed for your husband in the 2023 presidential election when I was in APC. My question is what has changed? I have not even asked why my name is not on that ministerial appointment. Just for us to have a fair play in Kogi State, that is all we are asking for.
“I really do not know why this administration is always against the women. If you can remember, in 2019, the Peoples Democratic Party women leader, Salome Abuh, was burnt to death. That is very sad. We are forseeing same situation again. Last time it was in Koton Karfe, yesterday it was in Ejule and Ajaka. Who knows where will be next? We are being threatened.
“There is right to freedom for all and we Kogi women are not an exception. We don’t know why this administration is fighting so hard to disenfranchise the women. We have done nothing. Truthfully, without a woman, I don’t think any of us will be here. So please, women right activist, associations come to our aide because thing are falling apart in Kogi State all in the name of election”.
