APC women accuse party of marginalisation.Lament over persistent neglect.
CHIGOZIE AMADI
Women leaders of the All Progressives Congress (APC) on Tuesday turned a solidarity visit to the National Chairman, Dr Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, into a harvest of complaints over negligence by the party.
The Spokesperson of the women, Mrs. Patricia Yàkubu spared no words in denouncing the party’s attitude towards the women after the 2023 general election declaring that it was wrong to give the women leaders only one bag of rice and one wrapper.
In the speech she read, Patricia said: “We commend you for your teamwork, ability to unite the party and your wealth of experience in positioning the party into winning ways.
“We, the forum of 36 States women leaders and the FCT have come to
pay you a solidarity visit and unanimously say, we believe in you as the National Chairman of our great party. We unequivocally pass a vote of confidence on you and reiterate the fact that the 36 States women leaders are solidly behind you and the National Working Committee of Our great party.
“We pray for God’s wisdom, strength and good health to guide you in piloting the affairs of the party. Protect you from all forms of evil and distraction. You are a man of great experience with proven integrity, distinct character and a great leader that vividly describe the saying in Chinese “Yo Shinai, Yo Kangai”Good Thinking, Good Product.
“Your Excellency, the State women leaders will want to advocate that we should be carried along in all the affairs pertaining women in the states, We are closer to the Party Women at the grassroots, the largest voting bloc in the secular world our demography should not be neglected.
“Since after the elections, Your Excellency may note that, only 1 bag of rice and 1 paper wrapper was given to the state women leaders from the National Secretariat of the party. Nothing was given to us during Easter, the Ramadan fasting period and Salah Festivities. Even the Palliatives that was distributed was not given to the women leaders for onward distribution to the grassroots, We party women waited and waited and waited to no avail very sad.
“Your Excellency respectfully, we wish to notify you that the Women Leaders sacrificed so much towards the victory of our great party during the 2023 elections.
“Here are a few of the situations that our women had to go through;
The women slept on the grass in open spaces took a great risks at Women Development Center, Abuja and almost in every state during Electioneering Period to ensure victory. The house of one of us was demolished on the election day by the Opposition party in her state to distract her from canvassing votes for the party.
“The son of one of us was kidnapped a day to the presidential election. Another woman was detained in the police station for 3 days on the election day. Then one of us was involved in a ghastly motor accident during the campaign, because they did not want to hear of APC in her community and is still in and out of the hospital. Many of us got their cars damaged and some completely lost their personal cars during the campaigns and today, they are not mobile.
“Your Excellency, the women have not been compensated for all their pains and sacrifices, we are feeling neglected. We will also want to respectfully draw the attention of His Excellency, our Father, the advocate of women empowerment to the fact that most of the Federal Government programs that has to do with women sounds like news to us.
“We want to plead with you to use your good office and discuss with the ministers and Heads of Agencies to involve our women in their programs, so as to boost confidence of our women and to encourage participation and support towards strengthening the party, especially in states where we don’t have APC Governors.
“Our Father and pillar, it may interest you to note that we have in our midst, the state women leaders, retired AIG, Rtd carrier diplomats, former Federal and State Law Makers, Former Honourable Commissioners, Former Director at Unicef, Former Local Government
Chairmen, Entrepreneurs, Associate Professor, Teachers etc.
Should there be any opening, we can add so much value to the renew Hope transformation agenda,” She stated.
The APC National Women Leader, Dr. Mary Alele also spoke at the occasion assuring the party of the loyalty of the women on the 36 States and the FCT.
