Scores of women from the All Progressive Congress, Benue State chapter, Monday staged a protest to the government house, Makurdi, over alleged marginalisation in governance.
The women who marched through Kashim Ibrahim road stormed the government house with placards that carried different inscriptions such as, ‘appoint more women as appointees not just dancers and clappers,’ ‘APC, implement your manifestos,’ ‘give us 10 council chairmen, six deputies or no vote,’ ‘give us our rights as women,’ ‘women are critical stakeholders’, etc.
Addressing the governor and party stakeholders at the new banquet hall of government house, the spokesperson, Mrs Priscilla Achapa decried the non-inclusion of women in Ortom’s administration.
According to her, “women are not adequately represented in this administration in spite of our commitment, struggle and loyalty to the party”.
“We are critical stakeholders in this administration, what we are requesting as local government election draws closer are; 40 slots of councillors, 15 out of the 23 council chairmen and more representation in government”.
The state governor, Dr Samuel Ortom who commended the women for the peaceful protest added that their coming was timely as it coincides with the stakeholders’ meeting.
“Your coming is timely because we are holding stakeholders meeting and all the issues you raised will be part of our agenda”.
The state party chairman, Comrade Abba Yaro, said that the party was gender sensitive, this, he said, made the party to give out interest and nomination forms for coming local government election free for women during the sales of forms.
“The party in its own wisdom during the sales of interest and nomination forms for councillors and chairmen in the forthcoming local government election decided to give out forms free of charge to women, unfortunately, women did not show interest.”
Wife of the governor, Mrs Eunice Ortom who was at the party stakeholders meeting appealed to the stakeholders to listen to the cry of the women, she enjoyed the party stakeholders to work with the governor to be able to deliver the desired dividends of democracy.
Source – Punch
