APC’s disastrous years affect women more ― Ayu

The National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Dr Iyorchia Ayu, has described the past seven and half years of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) as a complete disaster which has had more consequences on the welfare of women.

He spoke when he inaugurated the PDP Women Campaign Council in Abuja on Thursday, recalling that the opposition party paid great attention to womenfolk during its time in government.

He said when elected, the presidential candidate of the party, Atiku Abubakar, will focus attention on women because of the positive impact on the overall welfare of the country.

The party boss said: “I always wonder at the capacity of a woman to not only work hard but to be resilient and to do so many things in one day. I think if a man works for eight hours a day, a woman works 16 hours a day. The management skill of a woman is second to none.

“I believe that without a woman, there can be no nation. That is why it is said that if you educate a woman, you educate a nation. If you empower a woman, you are empowering a nation.

“In this political party we give a special place to women, recognizing them as partners in progress, realizing that if you have women on your side, the party will be a big and gigantic family.

“Apart from saying that women who contest should not pay for form, that is affirmative action for women, we also went out of the way in the first 16 years of this party when we were in government, to ensure that women were reasonably represented in government.

“I’m happy to reveal to you that the driving force of that policy is my brother (Atiku) who is going to be the next president of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

“When he was the vice president of this country, I know exactly what he did in promoting women. Some of them he single-handedly headhunted because of their capacity and brought them into government. Many have become recognized not only nationally but internationally.

“I believe that with the support you are giving the party when he becomes president next year, not if because we’ve crossed that line when he becomes the president next year, he will do even more than 30 or 35%. I believe he is the President that is coming to change this country for the better.

“We pay special attention to women and we are here to encourage him to do exactly that because by focusing on women and the youth, we will be rebuilding our country back. So that there will no longer be poverty in the country.

“We have a currency that is the worst currency in the world today. The seven or eight years of APC government have been a complete disaster for this country and it is affected women more than anybody.”

In her remark, the wife of the Presidential flag bearer, Titi Abubakar, said that the APC has used the broom to beat Nigeria into poverty, and insecurity and divided the country.

While recalling her efforts to empower women, Mrs Abubakar, assured that women can do more for the success of the Atiku-Okowa ticket.

She said: “It’s pertinent to note that serious issues bedevilled our nation, such as insecurity, the educational sector, the health sector, and infrastructure continue to drive the citizens of this country to see a new leadership direction and political paths.

“It cannot be much more emphasised that the current leadership of this country has failed massively in delivering these basic dividends of democracy to us.

“As a principal stakeholder in women empowerment and engagement programs in this great country, I have invested in a strategic sustainable development initiative to ameliorate the sufferings of women or youth, especially those in the rural areas, using the SHE campaign which is an acronym of Security, Health and Education for women, youths and people living with disabilities.

“Our SHE to learn initiative has so far given educational sensitisation drive amongst our women and youths.

“Likewise, the SHE for Care initiative seeks to intensify the path for rural healthcare, as well as maternal and child mortality.

“Together, we can do more as we assure the success of the Atiku-Okowa ticket through the strategic activities of this Women Presidential Campaign Council in pursuant to the main goal of our candidates and his indefatigable running mate, to recover Nigeria.

“Your Excellencies, the task before us at this crucial time of our democracy is one that is very daunting and challenging. Our dear country, Nigeria is at crossroads and is faced with various multifaceted challenges.

“As a council, we must continue to campaign on the critical issues that concern the average Nigerian while refraining from the playground of those who do not possess the creative ideas to take our country to the promised land.

“Consequently, we have clamoured and cried for a new path. We are seeking purposeful leadership.

“We have been beaten with the broom under the heavy rains of poverty and insecurity. We have been divided across ethno-religious lines and therefore, we are seeking a unifier, a structure which has a beautiful umbrella to shield us from the rains of poverty and insecurity. We are clamouring for a father who seeks the economic and social prosperity of all and sundry.

“The task to recover Nigeria cannot be done by His Excellency Atiku Abubakar alone. It is a joint tax and a collective goal which and every one of us has a pivotal role to play.”

Also speaking, PDP National Woman Leader, Prof. Stella Effah-Attoe, said the Women Campaign Council will serve as the bedrock and biggest chunk of geometric mobilizers of the Nigerian electorate to vote massively for the presidential flag bearer and all the other candidates of the PDP.

She added: “Let me reassure you that our unalloyed solidarity and commitment towards the success of our great party in the 2023 general elections are unwavering. The PDP women are ready, our strategies and approaches are top-notch and clear-cuts.

“We will campaign and mobilise from every home, family, polling unit, ward, local government, state and even the FCT to garner all the votes that will be needed to make our party coast home to victory in a landslide manner.

“There is no gainsaying the fact that women form the largest chunk of the population of Nigerian voters. The Women’s Campaign Council will also have to deal with a large part of the youth. We know where these young women are. We will mobilise them to vote for PDP at all levels.

“It is important to state that women are natural influencers. We will put our God-given nature to use by influencing ourselves, our children, our husbands, our friends, our families, corporate bodies and the nation at large to vote for a great political colossus and a president that will move our country on the path of peace, prosperity, justice, equity and progress.”

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