Society Gists

An Abuja based non-governmental association; The Society for Women in Politics in Nigeria has condemned the recent attacks on the Women Leader of the Lagos State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Hon. Jumoke Okoya-Thomas by the South West Women Leader of the APC, Chief (Mrs.) Kemi Nelson.

The Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO) said in a statement jointly signed by the National President, Mrs. Aishat Galadima its National Secretary, Mrs. Chinonso Okechukwu that the attack was unwarranted at this material time.

The group stated in the release, which was made available to the media, that Kemi Nelson ought to have behaved in a matured manner rather than encouraging her aide to attack an aide of Okoya-Thomas.

The statement read in part, “our attention has been drawn to a report over an incident that transpired at the Lagos State Secretariat of the APC in Acme, Ikeja, where an aide of Chief (Mrs.) Kemi Nelson, one Ayo Alli-Balogun unleashed terror on an aide of Hon. Jumoke Okoya-Thomas, Alhaja Abiodun and caused her serious body injury.

“We were surprised by the report and we feel that other right thinking persons in the society should condemn the act.

“As an NGO with interest on issues affecting women, we feel we should lend our voice to this barbaric act since it involves two women and another woman was seriously injured in the process.

“At this juncture, we want to urge well-meaning members of the society and leaders of the APC to call Kemi Nelson to order and tell her to face her duty as the South West Women Leader of the party. Of course, we expect Jumoke Okoya-Thomas to accord Nelson the deserved honour and respect.”

The group stressed in the statement that the two women ought to work in unity and strategise on how to move the party forward and continue to win Lagos, other South West states and the central government for the APC rather than fighting over trivial matters.

“Some of us still wonder what could have caused the crisis between the two political gladiators since their offices do not clash.

“Kemi Nelson has been promoted to a bigger office, so she ought to be giving advice to Okoya-Thomas rather than engaging her in an unnecessary rivalry.

“While we are not supporting any of the parties, we feel compelled to ask Kemi Nelson to see Okoya-Thomas as her partner in progress and device a means of working with her for the common good of the party,” the statement read.

It had been reported that there was a serious fight on Monday 27 August, 2018 as Kemi Nelson invaded the Lagos State secretariat of the party with thugs.

It was alleged in the reported that some executive members of the state’s chapter of the APC were holding a meeting in the office of the state Chairman of the party, Hon. Tunde Balogun, when Kemi Nelson stormed the secretariat with about six women, including Ayo Ali Balogun.

According to the report, “We were informed that the thuggish Ayo Alli- Balogun went straight to Hon. Jumoke Okoya-Thomas at the party chairman’s office and warned her to behave herself, while trying to provoke her to a fight, but Okoya-Thomas kept her cool and did not utter a word, but rather left the meeting for her make-shift office in the secretariat.

“Ayo Alli-Balogun then went outside the office where she sighted the Personal Assistant of Hon. Jumoke Okoya-Thomas, Alhaja Abiodun and engaged her in a serious fight that caused the PA serious body injury to the extent that she lost a lot of blood in the process.

“Alhaja Abiodun had to be rushed to a nearby hospital or else she would have lost her life over unnecessary jealousy and envy.