Osun State All Progressives Congress (APC) Women Leader, Mrs. Kudiratu Fakokunde, yesterday alleged that female members of the party were shortchanged by the wife of the state governor, Mrs. Titilayo Adeleke, in the sharing of the business support grant initiated by the First Lady of Nigeria, Senator Oluremi Tinubu.
No fewer than 200 businesswomen across the 332 wards of the state benefited from the grant, which was designed to support women in their trades and small businesses. The initiative, under the Renewed Hope Programme of Mrs. Tinubu, was organised in collaboration with the Tony Elumelu Foundation to empower grassroots women nationwide.
Speaking at the presentation of the grants at the Tinubu/Shettima campaign office in Osogbo, Mrs. Fakokunde praised Senator Oluremi Tinubu for the effort, noting that it would strengthen women’s ability to contribute more effectively to the economy and their households.
She however expressed disappointment at the actions of the Osun governor’s wife, insisting that the allocation given to APC women was unfairly reduced despite her intervention.
According to her, “When I went to meet the First Lady of Osun State at Government House, she first said she would give us 100 slots against 300 that ought to be given to us. I opposed the proposal, until we were given 200. Even then she still shortchanged us. That is not fair.”
Also lending her voice, the former aide of the Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Mrs. Folake Olaniyan, commended President Bola Tinubu and the First Lady for supporting women with the empowerment scheme. She, however, urged that closer monitoring be put in place to ensure fairness.
She said: “We want to appeal to them, that they should monitor the programme closely because it is not done equitably. From the previous ones that were done, I noticed that it is not done equitably. The other party is benefiting more than the APC.”
Reacting to the claims, the Chief Press Secretary to the governor’s wife, Adeleke Adewale, dismissed the allegations. He said, “They were never shortchanged. The empowerment is for 500 people and they were given 200. We use to carry them along for all grants or gesture from the federal government.”