Politics
Women In Rivers State Need To Do More Politically – Mr Itamunoala
Mrs Florence Itamunoala
For the first time in her chequered history, Rivers
State not only has a woman as Deputy Governor but a female Chief Judge of the State as well.
In this interview with Opaka Dokubo, Mrs Florence Itamunoala, chairperson of the International Federation of Women Lawyers, Nigeria, Rivers State branch, bared her mind on this development and other issues concerning the advancement of women in politics in Rivers State and Nigeria in general Exerpts.
Given the present positions women occupy in Rivers State, would you say women have arrived here?
I wouldn’t say we have arrived by any standard.
We’re very grateful to God and His Excellency because if he hadn’t been on board, we probably wouldn’t have had a Deputy Governor who is a female and a Chief Judge who is a female. I mean those of us who are in Rivers State know that that wouldn’t have been possible at this point in time. So we’re grateful to God and to His Excellency, Chief (Barr) Ezenwo Nyesom Wike but women in Rivers State wouldn’t say that we have arrived.
It’s good that women have started to hold such positions in the state but more than that, we expect more women to come out and go for elective positions, not just the appointive positions.
If you say we have arrived, look at the House of Assembly, how many women even came out to contest and lost?
Not many. So, we’re still very far. Until we have a situation where women are prepared to come out and contest and contend with the men at the same level, we wouldn’t say we have arrived at all.
We are concerned about not just appointment, infact, we want more of elective positions.
What mark have you set for yourselves?
Even if I have to start by talking about the 35% Affirmative Action thing, look at the House of Assembly, what percentage of women do we have there? It’s really bad.
In other areas too, I wouldn’t say we are up to the required standard for now which is the 35%. So there is a lot more to be done by the women in this state. so that we don’t lag behind women in other states.
Are you satisfied with the number of women on the cabinet in Rivers State?
Well, we really hope that when more appointments are made, His Excellency who by God’s grace is favourably disposed to having women on board will help the women to come up to, at least, that 35% mark.
This time around, I think the state is not yet stable with all that the state has gone through. But for the fact that he was able to pick a lady as a Deputy Governor and appoint a Chief Judge, for now, it’s thumbs up for him. I hope that subsequently we will be able to attain that desired goal of 35%.
How do you see this situation beyond Rivers State?
Yes, I know that even our national body made a comment about it (concerning the federal cabinet) that it’s completely unacceptable because it’s too far below the required percentage for women in appointive positions.
The truth is that we can only keep talking, enlightening people. But the way it is, it lies with the person in charge. The much we can do is what we are doing; appealing to them, advocating that more women should be given appointive positions.
What are women doing to take up more elective positions?
A lot of women need capacity building including those of us who are into activism.
I could remember of particular year we were sponsored by an organisation to empower women in politics and that year, by the grace of God, we as an organisation were trained and we were also able to train others.
For example, I remember clearly, the late Mrs Anthonia Membere used to acknowledge the fact that FIDA trained and built her capacity. But unfortunately, such opportunities have not come for a long time now and it costs quite a lot to undertake such ventures.
Apart from her (Anthonia Membere, former member of the Rivers State House of Assembly), there were quite a number of women who thought they didn’t have a chance but were encouraged and had their capacity built by FIDA to come up.
Yes they had a lot of opposition but some progress was achieved even though some of the positions were not very high positions like councillors and the like. But it was a starting point and it was good.
The problem now is to have people who will encourage and empower the association to build the capacity of women. Some of these women actually know that politically they have something to offer but for the fear of stigmatization. Indeed we had to contend with issues of stigmatization of women in politics that year before some of the women were able to come up. So those are some of the challenges we have. But honestly, we feel really disappointed looking at the trend of things now and we realize that there is a need to begin a more intensive drive to empower women to be able to come out for elective positions.
Would FIDA consider sponsoring a woman for an elective position?
Well, that is a very important point to consider but like I said, when you talk about sponsoring a person, it is not enough to identify and pick out a person. You must be ready to back up the person financially and in every way.
And that is where a lot of women have the problem.
But I do know that there are some organizations that are trying to come up now to say that if there’s a viable woman who wants to run for any of such offices, they would be able to, may be, back up the person. We hope that many organizations come up and are actually willing then we will be able to partner with them to sponsor women.
We have to have a willing woman and if we can identify one amongst us who is able, and there are, but the person must be willing, definitely we will be able to bring out the person and sponsor the person. But if not, generally we’re interested in women.
So, wheresoever the woman is coming from, once she is capable and able, we will be willing to sponsor such a person.
Why are female lawyers so few in politics?
I wouldn’t say there’s anything else other than the same problems we have identified that affect women generally all over the world-this issue of the biases against the woman. So whether you’re a lawyer woman or whatever, you’re still a woman.
We hope that, by God’s grace, gradually we will get there.
I think there is a need to begin to encourage our lawyer women to begin to go out there. May be we’ve not been conscious of it. We‘ ve always advocated for others but on our part, may be, we’ve never considered ourselves as politicians or as those that could go into politics.
We have a few out there, like, by the grace of God, some commissioners in the state as presently constituted are FIDANS.
But having said this, may be, we will begin to look in that direction to encourage our members, not just at the state level, but also at the national level.
Like you said, a lot of people have confidence when they see a female lawyer coming out. So, we will begin to think along that line.
From a woman’s point of view, how do you see the political situation in the region especially?
It’s really pathetic that in this century we’re still faced with such crisis just because of election. But I will call on women as mothers to talk to their children, wives to also talk to their husbands. It does no one any good when blood is shed, when in order to get a position you want to maim, kill, destroy.
It shouldn’t be because if it happens to A today, tomorrow it could happen to B on the other side.
I think it is high time that everyone of us began to aspire to have free and fair elections in the real sense of the word. We must let down our pride, ego and everything. Democracy ought to be about the people choosing their leaders.
It’s really high time we got it right, we want the country to move forward.
Oyo State Governor, ‘Seyi Makinde, has renamed The Polytechnic, Ibadan as Omololu Olunloyo Polytechnic, Ibadan, in honour of a late former governor of the State, Dr Omololu Olunloyo.
Dr Olunloyo, who died on April 6, 2025, was the pioneer Principal of the Polytechnic, Ibadan, while he also served as Governor of Oyo State between October 1 and December 31, 1983.
Governor Makinde made the announcement at the state interdenominational funeral service held yesterday in honour of the late former governor at the Obafemi Awolowo Stadium, Liberty Road, Ibadan.
Governor Makinde said Dr Olunloyo lived an eventful life, adding that his attainment and personality could not be summarised in one sentence.
“He was not a man we could summarise in one sentence. He was a scholar, a statesman, a technocrat, a lover of culture and, above all, a man of deep conviction.
“While giving the exhortation, I was listening to Baba Archbishop Ayo Ladigbolu and he said in 1983, Baba became Governor of Oyo State. Though his time in office was brief, his election victory over a popular incumbent remains a powerful testament to the trust people gave him.
“I talked about preserving and digitising his library yesterday [Wednesday] as a mark of honour to Baba Olunloyo.
“Today, we will be giving Baba another honour to immortalise him. He was the first Principal of The Polytechnic, Ibadan; that institution will now be named Omololu Olunloyo Polytechnic, Ibadan.”
Earlier in his sermon, a retired Methodist Archbishop of Ilesa and Ibadan, Ayo Ladigbolu, described the late Olunloyo as a role model with intellectual inspiration and unassailable integrity.
The cleric said the deceased also demonstrated leadership in most superior quality during his lifetime.
In attendance were the state Deputy Governor, Chief Abdulraheem Bayo Lawal; wife of a former Military Governor of the old Oyo State, Chief (Mrs) Dupe Jemibewon; wife of a former Governor of Oyo State, Chief (Mrs) Mutiat Ladoja; former Deputy Governor and PDP Deputy National Chairman (South), Ambassador Taofeek Arapaja; and former Deputy Governor, Hazeem Gbolarumi.
Others were the member representing Ibadan North-East/South-East Federal Constituency, Hon Abass Adigun Agboworin; Chief of Staff to the Governor, Otunba Segun Ogunwuyi; Oyo State Exco members; Chairman of Oyo State Elders’ Council, Dr Saka Balogun; Chairman of All Local Government Chairmen in Oyo State, Hon Sikiru Sanda; President-General of the Central Council of Ibadan Indigenes (CCII), Chief Adeniyi Ajewole; religious leaders and family members, among other dignitaries.
Ten members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) National Working Committee (NWC) have countered the Acting National Chairman, Umar Damagum, on the reinstatement of Senator Samuel Anyanwu as National Secretary.
The dissenting members, led by the Deputy National Chairman ( South), Taofeek Arapaja, in a joint statement, said no organ of the opposition party could overturn the decision of the 99th meeting of the National Executive Committee (NEC).
The dissenting NWC members include Arapaja; Setonji Koshoedo, Deputy National Secretary; Okechukwu Obiechina-Daniel, National Auditor; Debo Ologunagba, National Publicity Secretary; Ologunagba; Woyengikuro Daniel, National Financial Secretary and Ahmed Yayari Mohammed, National Treasurer.
Others are Chief Ali Odefa, National Vice Chairman (South East); Emmanuel Ogidi, Caretaker Committee Chairman (South South); Mrs. Amina Darasimi D. Bryhm, National Woman Leader and Ajisafe Kamoru Toyese, National Vice Chairman (South West).
The group also insisted that contrary to the position of the acting National Chairman, the 100th NEC meeting of the party would be held on June 30 as earlier scheduled.
The statement read: “The attention of the National Working Committee (NWC) of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has been drawn to a press briefing by the acting National Chairman, Amb. Umar Damagum, today Wednesday, June 25, wherein he attempted to overturn the resolution of the 99th National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting which scheduled the 100th NEC meeting for Monday, June 30.
“The acting National Chairman in the said press briefing also reportedly announced that Senator Samuel Anyanwu has been asked to resume as National Secretary of the party contrary to the resolution of the 99th NEC meeting, which referred all matters relating to the office of the National Secretary to the 100th NEC meeting.
“The pronouncements by the acting National Chairman have no foundation as no organ of the party (including the NWC), individual or group has the power to cancel, overrule, veto or vary the resolution of the National Executive Committee (NEC) under the Constitution of the PDP (as amended in 2017).
“For the avoidance of doubt, the NEC is the highest decision-making organ of the party, second only to the National Convention. By virtue of Section 31 (3) of the PDP Constitution, the resolution of the NEC to hold its 100th meeting on Monday June 30, is binding on all organs, officers, chapters and members of the party and no organ, group or individual can vary or veto this resolution of NEC.
“Furthermore, the claim by Damagum that Sen Anyanwu has been asked to resume office as the National Secretary of the party is, therefore, misleading being contrary to the resolution of NEC.
“In the light of the foregoing, the 100th NEC meeting as scheduled for Monday, June 30, has not been canceled or postponed.”
The Special Adviser to President Bola Tinubu on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, has fired back at former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, following the latter’s scathing criticism of President Tinubu’s administration and his 2027 re-election prospects.
In an interview on live television, Mallam El-Rufai said it would take a “miracle” for President Tinubu to be re-elected in 2027, citing an internal poll that purportedly shows a 91 percent disapproval rating for the president across key regions in the country, including the South-East and the North. He also claimed that President Tinubu’s disapproval rating in Lagos stood at 78 percent.
Reacting on Wednesday via a post on X (formerly Twitter), Mr Onanuga took a swipe at the ex-governor, quoting a harsh assessment of Mallam El-Rufai’s character from former President Olusegun Obasanjo’s memoir, My Watch.
“Nasir’s penchant for reputation savaging is almost pathological,” Mr Onanuga wrote, citing Chief Obasanjo’s words. “Why does he do it? Very early in my interaction with him, I appreciated his talent. At the same time, I recognised his weaknesses; the worst being his inability to be loyal to anybody or any issue consistently for long, but only to Nasir El-Rufai.”
The presidential adviser emphasised Chief Obasanjo’s remarks that Mallam El-Rufai often tries to elevate himself by diminishing others. “He lied brazenly, which he did to me, against his colleagues and so-called friends,” Mr Onanuga continued, quoting the former President. “I have heard of how he ruthlessly savaged the reputation of his uncle, a man who, in an African setting, was like a foster father to him.”
Chief Obasanjo, who appointed Mallam El-Rufai as the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory between 2003 and 2007, did not mince words in the memoir, describing Mallam El-Rufai as suffering from “small man syndrome.”
Mr Onanuga’s post is seen as a direct rebuttal to Mallam El-Rufai’s recent criticism and growing opposition role. The former governor is reportedly playing a central role in forming a new coalition to challenge President Tinubu in the 2027 general election.
In March 2025, El-Rufai officially dumped the All Progressives Congress (APC) and joined the Social Democratic Party (SDP), intensifying speculations about his 2027 political ambitions.
As the political rift deepens, Mallam El-Rufai remains one of the most vocal critics of the Tinubu administration, while Mr Onanuga and other presidential allies continue to push back against what they describe as “reckless” opposition rhetoric.