… Urges women to speak out against bad government
The National Chairman of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) Prince Uche Secondus has accepted that the male folk has failed Nigerian and African women through bad leadership.
Secondus states this on Thursday in Abuja during the International Women Day celebration, organised for the PDP Women at the Wadata House in Abuja with the theme: “Pressing for Progress”.
He acknowledges that men have failed to take leadership seat and provide the necessary ingredient for governance. He apologised to the women and asked them to be more vocal in condemning bad governance.
He recalled the great leadership role played by Margret Ekpo and Mrs. Ransom Kuti towards women emancipation, calling on Nigerian women to take the driving seat and become active in political participation. He told them that PDP will ensure that the Beijing Affirmative Change is given a life in the party.
He urged them to be more vocal and speak against bad governance, take full control of the political structure at the grass root and ensure the return of the PDP come 2019.
He prophesied that in the nearest future, a woman will become the President of the country.
He said, “I can see a country with women participating at the highest level. I can see the picture where one day, whether we like it or not, since we have failed as men, one day a woman President will emerge in this country.
“Women, on behalf of the men, I want to apologise to all of you, to women in Nigeria, women in Africa because African men have disappointed both the women and the children. We need to apologise to them before God Almighty so that God will help us. God loves the women.
“Any nation that ignores the women, that nation is doomed because we all came out from women.
“Over the years in Nigeria, there has been struggle for women emancipation. It started with Ransom Kuti, Magreth Ekpo and many women who have sacrificed for our nation. For all of you here our leaders, it is now time for you to pursue nation building.
“For us in the PDP, the Beijing Affirmative Action is in the principles, laws and constitution of our party. And you are aware that in the last 16 years, women played important role in our government.
“I want to challenge you based on the provisions of our constitution, on this day of International Women, that you have kept quiet for too long and that’s why men are misbehaving. You must speak out, leaders of women must speak out.
“You must speak against what is going on in our country today. When women speak, God will hear, the voice of the people is the voice of God. It is time for you to speak out.
“So we challenge you to aspire to all offices. On this day you must come with a collective resolve to fight injustice and inequality in our nation, in Africa. On this day, you must resolve to speak out, you must resolve to speak against evil in our land. You must speak against the APC government that is harassing our leaders. Of course you know that they are more corrupt than any group in Nigeria.
“At the Senate yesterday (Wednesday), one of the APC leaders Dino Melaye spoke out because you must speak the truth. In 16 years, PDP borrowed six trillion but in three years APC government has borrowed 16 trillion. So who is more corrupt. Did they see the money? Where is infrastructure, where is water, where is light, where is food, where is security. So this government is even more corrupt than any government in Nigeria. We have ministers that are corrupt in this government and top government officials that are corrupt. The cabals are corrupt, they are swimming in corruption in this government and yet they are harassing innocent people, to show and portray that your government is clean.
“A senator spoke out on Wednesday, is it now clear, the man was tired of corruption within APC. Nigerians should congratulate Dino Melaye for speaking out, they cannot kill him. They cannot kill us. If they attempt to kill us, God will kill them. So Dino, we congratulate you for speaking out, for speaking the truth.
“Women you are keeping quiet for too long that is why evil is thriving in our land. We must speak out; the women must speak out. So today is a day for women to speak out.
Make sure that in the next government, the peoples government that will be in place in 2019, all of you will play major roles because in this election that is coming, women are critical.
“Vote and defend your votes. In this election, women must be mobilized in all the 120,000 polling units in our country. You must fight like Ransom Kuti, you must fight like Margreth Ekpo, the women must rise and fight for their rights. If you don’t fight for your rights, for your children, the next generation will have nothing” Secondus stated.
In her address, National Women leader, Hajiya Mariya Waziri said that the theme is apt because PDP will press for the progress of all women in Nigeria for when women progress, Nigeria will progress.
She assured women that the 35 percent will be maintained and women will be positioned to make meaningful contribution to governance.
“Our plan is to produce an action plan that will not only guarantee the votes and mandates of women for 2019 bit to develop their capacity and willingness to foster and support an enduring democratic process in favour of our great party.
“Women should take ownership of the global vision of the party and not only be expectant of ‘stomach infrastructure’ that is not responsive and relevant to achieving enduring political sustainability” she said.
They also prayed for the release of the abducted Dapchi girls.
Present at the event were members of the PDP National Working Committee (NWC), former Women leaders, different women groups and party chieftain.
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