Pregnant women, nursing mothers brutalised in Osun rerun, says group

A nongovernmental organization in Osun State, Hope for Family Development Initiative (HFDI) has raised concern about brutal treatment of pregnant women and nursing mothers and others in the violence that rocked the rerun of the gubernatorial election in seven polling units in Osun State on September 27.

The Executive Director of HFDI, Aremu Stephen while addressing a press conference in Osogbo expressed fears that most women may be deterred from participating in the general election next year given their ugly experience during rerun poll.

Aremu who championed the Stop Violence against Women in Politics (Stop-VAWIP) campaign prior to the election said his group sensitised the women in the state adequately before the election and that the turnout was impressive during the main election on September 22 but he condemned the violence during the rerun.

He said the preliminary analysis of incidences Around the 2018 Osun gubernatorial election, the Stop-VAWIP cases of violence against women during the election.

“The Stop-VAWIP campaign is an initiative that seeks to establish the link between gender-based electoral violence and the low level of participation of women in politics,” he said.

“Stop-VAWIP is a nationwide initiative led by National Democratic Institute, a non-profit, non-partisan organization that supports and strengthens democratic institutions worldwide through citizen participation, openness and accountability in government.”

“The events on the 27th were a far cry from the prevalent peace on the 22nd.  A disheartening case was reported of a pregnant woman who was brutally attacked while she was waiting to exercise her franchise. It was reported that she lost the pregnancy.

“With reports of gunshots at Alekuwodo area of Osogbo, it can be inferred that many were scared away from the polling centres. Several women were brutally attacked along with their husbands,” Aremu said.