Fresh controversy brews in APC as women members demand slot

Ahead of the much-awaited final announcement of the running mate to the All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential candidate, fresh controversies seem to be brewing as women members of the party have formally written to the party’s national leadership to request that the slot be allocated to them.

Deputy Women Leader of the ruling party, Hajiya Zainab Ibrahim, made the disclosure when the women stormed the national secretariat of the party on awareness, enlightenment advocacy programme to mobilise women to participate in the ongoing voters registration.

Speaking to newsmen during the event, Zainab said that apart from requesting for the drafting of women as deputy governors, the women have equally made case for vice presidential ticket to also be reserved for one 9f them.

“We requested top to bottom arrangements in the allocation of ticket for elective positions for the Nigerian women. We should be considered for the deputy governorship seat, National Assembly and even the Vice presidential ticket. We have the competence to occupy the vice presidential seat and we have officially made request to the relevant quarters to that effect and only waiting for the response,” he said.

However, in what looks like responding to their request, a member of the party’s National Working Committee (NWC), Deputy National Organizing Secretary, Chidi Duru, described the request as wishlist, noting that the party’s presidential candidate has submitted his running mate to meet up with the deadline by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

“Yes, we have taken note of their requests and they are wishlist. For now the issue of running mate for our presidential candidate is rested because we have submitted the name of Masari to the INEC and unless he withdraws from the position then every other consideration may be looked into, but now, their request is a wishlist,” he said.

Meanwhile, an APC women Inclusion in governance advocacy awareness campaign group, under the auspices of Anty ZEE 774 have decried the crossroads situation of the country.

They lamented that the country is “confronted and bedeviled by the hydra-headed monsters of banditry, terrorism, kidnapping, alongside unprovoked, gruesome and wanton killings, especially in the northern regions.

In a letter they submitted to the national leadership of the party, and signed by their Grand Coordinator, Princess Ann Nwanyibuife Agom-Eze, argued that “Nigeria is greatly wasting a precious resource in the gross under-utilisation and poor representation of women in governance and politics.

“Our great nation is at a cross road. We are confronted and bedeviled by the hydra-headed monsters of banditry, terrorism, kidnapping, alongside unprovoked, gruesome and wanton killings across the country, especially in the northern regions.

“This, together with my colleagues across the whole country strongly believe, could be reasonably checked if we make sacrifices and adjustments to our style of selection of leaders at all levels of government to include women. With gender inclusion comes economic empowerment.

“There is no gainsaying the fact that Nigeria is greatly wasting a precious resource in the gross under-utilisation and poor representation of women in governance and politics i.e. playing with a half team, when we have the capacity of playing a star studded full team.

“As the 2023 elections approach, Nigeria must therefore address the sizable gender gaps that undermine women’s inclusion in governance. There is sufficient and ever-increasing evidence that women inclusiveness in governance

and political decision-making processes help nation-building,” the women claimed. (Daily Sun)