The lawmaker representing Epe Constituency 2 at the Lagos State House of Assembly, Segun Olulade, on Sunday predicted that Nigeria will produce its first female President in less than 20 years from now.
Olulade said this in the wake of Saturday’s pronouncement of the tribunal declaring Hajia Aisha Jumai Alhassan of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Governor of Taraba State in the 11 April election after nullifying the process that produced Darius Ishaku of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP.
The tribunal nullified the election of Ishaku because the process that produced him was faulty.
Olulade said the court had proven that the emergence of the first female governor in Nigeria is an indication that gender sentiments no longer held sway in Nigeria’s political landscape.
“If a woman can emerge governor in a state where there are millions of men, then a woman can emerge President of Nigeria sooner than expected,” Olulade said.
Olulade, while reacting to the pronouncement, lauded the verdict of the tribunal headed by Justice Musa Danladi Abubakar, stating that the era of impunity had ceased “with this landmark judgement.”
Governor Ayodele Fayose of Ekiti State had condemned the tribunal judgement, saying it cannot hold as it was a miscarriage of justice.
But Olulade said Fayose’s position was not in tandem with the provision of the Electoral Act which mandated the conduct of valid primaries by all parties as condition for legitimate participation in the general elections.
The lawmaker also advised women to play more active roles in politics and governance.
He noted that women have reached pinnacles in almost all phases of human existence.
He also cited countries like Brazil and Germany where women are at the helm of affairs in governance.
Olulade called on the People’s Democratic Party to accept the verdict in utmost good faith and begin to put up mechanism for strengthening internal democracy which is lacking in the party.
He also said that impunity, rigging, manipulation and other social vices should be buried if the party was to see the light of 2019 general elections.
“The truth is that Nigerians are tired of misrule, impunity and lack of vision by a political party that seeks power.
“Nigerians, more than APC as a party, decided the 2015 general elections by sweeping off bad governance simply because they are tired.
“By 2019, the power of the electorate would have become enormous to determine victory in every polling booth during elections,” Olulade said.
