2019: North-East women enjoined not to use henna

WOMEN voters in the North-East particularly supporters of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) have been enjoined not to use the popular henna henceforth in order to be able to cast their votes in the forthcoming general elections.

The call was made in Bauchi on Wednesday by the Chairman, National Working Committee Women and Youth Presidential Campaign, General Muhammad Buba Marwa (rtd) at the One day Town Hall meeting of Women and Youth held at the Multipurpose Indoor Sports Hall.

He said that with henna in their fingers the card reader machines will not be able to recognize their fingerprints just as the ink to be used in the thumbprint will not stick to the thumbs thereby making it difficult to cast a valid vote for the APC candidates particularly President Muhammadu Buhari.

Buba Marwa who spoke in Hausa, therefore, appealed to the women not to use the henna henceforth until after the general elections so that their votes will count.

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To the youths, the Presidential Campaign Chairman for Women and Youth Committee urged them to ensure that they collected their PVCs because according to him without a valid PVC they will not be able to cast their votes for the APC.

He also called on them to be law-abiding and peaceful before, during and after the election, though he advised them to ensure that their votes counted by adopting the popular Hausa slogan of ‘Ku tsare, ku raka, ku jira’ (protect, escort, wait).

While reechoing the call on women not to use henna until after the general elections, a onetime Deputy Governor of Plateau State, Pauline Tallen explained that the use of henna will not allow the women to vote.

Pauline Tallen said, “if you use henna, it will block the lines of your thumb thereby making it impossible for the card readers to identify your fingerprints and make it also impossible for the ink to stick to the thumb for printing on the ballot paper.”

The town hall meeting was attended by women and youths from all the six states in the North-East as well as other APC leaders and elected representatives.