By Victor Ukandu, Awka
Women of the All Progressives Congress (APC) across the 21 Council Areas and 326 electoral wards in Anambra State, have concluded plans to unseat Governor Charles Chukwuma Soludo for any APC flagbearer in next year’s Anambra Governorship election.
They stated this at a One-Day Women Summit of APC held in Awka on Friday, which has as its theme, “The Role of Women in Politics in this 21st Century”, saying they have lined up series of programmes to ensure effective grassroots mobilisation for APC victory at the State 2025 gubernatorial poll.
Speaking at the programme, Anambra State Women Leader, APC, Lady Maria Ejielo, urged women to pursue positions of leadership in both the public and private sectors, as well as enroll their female children to schools to gain leadership skills and other enablement to excel in life.
She noted that women possess indispensable position in nation building but needs quality participation in party politics and the entire democratic process.
Lady Ejielo identified challenges hampering women participation to include societal and cultural prejudices, patriarchy, challenge of juggling parental and professional commitments, violence and threat to life during electioneering, cost of election, negative impression that politics is a dirty game and lack of interest/networking.
The guest speaker and the former Minister of Women Affairs, Iyom Josephine Anenih, who spoke on the topic “The Role of Women in Politics in this 21st Century”, stressed that power was never given but should be fought for by identifying and engaging meaningfully as leaders and members from ward to national levels.
Anenih, a Life member, Board of Trustees of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), said she is willing to support every democratic action aimed at bringing good governance and accountability leadership in Anambra State.
The Women’s Rights Advocate and foremost champion for women inclusion in governance, decision making and in politics, said the role of women in 21 century politics, is thoughtout to ensure that there is a level playing field for everybody to contest Elections, vote and be voted for and be mainstreamed in politics.
“For me, women of Nigeria is my constituency, non partisan. It is for women to participate in politics no matter the political platform they wish to. Hence, I initiated the women in politics forum which is doing we across Africa and being run by Barr Ebele Ifendu as the President.
“We cannot have National Assembly being run by only men, the thinking will be one-way and whatever policy they are making lacks gender equity. So it is important for women to be at the table where decisions are being made so as to have balanced decisions and every problem is seen from gender lens both male and female. Thus, we are determined to make it and climb that mountain.”
On her part, the APC National Women Leader, Dr Mrs Mary Alile, represented by the Adamawa State Women Leader, Dr Patricia Yakubu, urged women to be courageous and mobilise younger women to increase political participation to drive good governance.
“Mrs Mary Alile is passionate about how we as women can encourage ourselves to participate in governance. She spoke about appreciating those that have taken giant strides like the Anambra State Women Leader. Also how young girls can be encouraged to participate in politics.
“We are the key development agents in terms of economic social outcomes, and anywhere you see economic social outcome, the benefits that comes when it involves a woman, is higher than those with mainstream gender.
“Women should carry other women along and take steps further to ensure that women involvement is meaningful. When we make meaningful viewpoints, definitely it will be taken into consideration.
“Encouraged women to take the three Cs of life: be bold enough to be courageous to participate in governance, passionate about our boldness to societal issues and curiously do it. Dont monopolise ideas but share it to go round. Nation’s who encourage women participation in governance go far.”
Dr Alile further applauded Iyom Josephine Anenih for all she has done for women in the country and urged Anambra women to cooperate with state party leadership to capture Anambra State in next year Guber poll just the way it happened in Edo State.
Also speaking, the State Chairman, APC, Hon. Basil Ejidike, commended the women for taken up the challenge to bring Anambra State to the centre and mainstream politics, which according to him, would speed up development of the State and Southeast by extension.
According to Ejidike, Anambra State residents had become tired of APGA and Soludo’s maladministration and committed towards removing the Government from power by voting massively for the APC across the 21 Council Areas and 326 electoral wards.
Uju Kennedy-Ohaneye, Minister or Women Affairs was absent while APC Governorship aspirant Chief Paul Chukwuma was in representative capacity, just as Late Senator Patrick Ifeanyi Uba was given a post humous award.
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