Ahead of the forthcoming national convention of the All Progressives Congress and the 2023 general elections, National Women Leader/Representative in Caretaker/Extraordinary Convention Planning Committee (CECPC) of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Hon. Stella Okotete has called on women to show interest in political and elective offices.
He made the call at the formal launch of the Progressive Young Women Forum held at Buhari House, the APC National Secretariat in Abuja.
The APC national women leader noted that the party Constitution offers latitude to women to rub shoulders with their male counterparts.
She, therefore, appealed to the womenfolk not to be complacent by utilising the opportunity available to them.
She said: ” Politics should be all about touching lives and not to make money. We have very few women sitting at the table.
“We need to wake ourselves up, particularly, we the young generation. We need to have a platform. We need to have a unity vehicle that will change the narrative for more women representation and visibility in public service and government.
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“The APC manifesto and constitution encourage women to sit on the table. I have had discussions with the men and the question they ask is where are the women?
“Young Progressives Women Forum is created to develop the leadership quality that is needed for young women to take their place on the decision table and to develop the political power of young women in Nigeria.”
She, therefore, challenged women to change the narratives by making themselves available for party positions in their wards, local government and state levels in the Congresses being organised by the APC.
“Women, particularly young females form a bulk of registered voters in the country and we will define and determine who governs our states, govern Nigeria. Roughly 50per cent of the Nigerian population are women. Imagine if we have 43per cent committed as progressive women, will anybody be a president without us?”
“As we go into heightened electioneering in 2022, women are in the best position to change Nigeria, to achieve this women need a united front. We need to continue to support women to win elections.
“The coming APC congresses provide one of the best opportunities that women in this room have to properly position themselves in party administration. So if you do not have your membership card, quickly go and get it.
“If women occupy party positions at for example the local government, you are not only there for yourself but also sitting on the table on behalf of other women to determine who gets elective positions in your constituency and the entire state.”
Okotete further disclosed to the gathering of APC faithful maintained that that lobby was already ongoing towards ensuring women occupy a minimum of 13 positions in the party’s ward, local government and state levels in the coming APC congresses.
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