By Godwin Ajom
With just seven days left for the much anticipated 2024 Cross River State local government election, uncertainties have creeped into the hearts of candidates and electorates in the state.
Some political pundits, astrologers, actors and observers have expressed mixed feelings about the process with many predicting it to be free, fair and transparent process, others have turned Thomas.
Other school of thought holds that the State Governor Bassey Otu, might ink his name in history books for allowing transparent grassroots polls.
These were some of the postulations that rocked the mind of stakeholders in a knowledge enhancement meeting aimed at securing support for affirmative action gender equality in an event organized by Gender and Development Action (GADA) supported by U-N Women under Women Inclusion Forum.
The stakeholders expressed worries that should the election fail, it might spell negatives for gender inclusion in the polity.
Former House of Assembly Member of the Cross River State House of Assembly, Honorable Rita Ayim, opined that the State hasn’t given enough room for women inclusion in politics in recent times.
“The local government elections are state-controlled. And just like other States that have conducted theirs, they’re apprehensions everywhere. Opposition parties hardly win, because the Governors want to control the LGAs, through the chairmen and councilors.
“So, there’s the desire of the ruling Parties to have their members in all the LGAs. Especially with the much talked about LGA autonomy. We are only hopeful that the elections will be free and fair. I doubt it but we only hope. If it happens, then Governor Bassey Otu would have made history as being the first person that allows opposition parties to win some sits in the local government elections. It has always been a tough process for women in the field because the ruling party is APC, they have the funding, and control the structure, but with God on the side of the opposition, who knows, the opposition might pull a stunt. I don’t think Cross River State has given enough support to women.”
The Inclusive Forum commended Governor Bassey Otu, his wife and various leadership of political parties for ensuring that women are brought into the government at the local level as a matter of policy recognition and fundamental appreciation of the 35% affirmative action provision of the National Gender Policy of the country.
They urged CROSEIC to be impartial and transparent; ensuring that opposition parties that have presented women are encouraged and pushed into LG or ward relevance.
Meanwhile, public expectations remain high especially with the much talked about financial autonomy for local governments as pronounced recently by the Supreme Court.
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