Lucky Obukohwo, Reporting
The National President of the Nigeria Association of Women Journalists (NAWOJ), Hajiya Aisha Ibrahim, has parleyed Nigerian women to actively participate in the nation’s political system despite the obstacles they might face just as she urged the Edo women to vote wisely in the forthcoming governorship election in the state.
She made the call at an event put together by NAWOJ in collaboration with the Nigeria League of Women Voters(NLWV) and the Women In Politics Forum held in Benin City with the theme :” Engaging Grassroots Women For Robust Political Participation”
The national president, represented by the Vice President, Zone D, Mrs. Chizoba Ogbeche, said the women must begin to lay the foundation from today using the forthcoming Edo State governorship election as a benchmark for other future elections in the state.
“As the state is preparing for election, we basically want women to participate not withstanding the obstacles they face, they should know that they should not stop participating like they say a journey of a thousand mile, begins with a step. This is our own first step. There is a thousand more to go but if you don’t start with the first step, you will not get to that one thousand.
“So, what we are doing today, is laying the foundation for women to understand that we need to keep moving notwithstanding whatever is stopping us”, Ibrahim said.
The national president of the association who refuted the claim that the women don’t support their fellow women, encouraged them not to relent contesting any political positions just like the men because the men may have contested many times before winning their elections.
“Even the men, some of them who are holding offices, it took time, they did not just come up. Some of them have run for office one time, two times eventually except somebody who has a godfather which we are also preaching out to the women, mentoring”, Ibrahim added.
For Mrs. Stella Marculey, Vice President, Zone F, NAWOJ, she urged the Edo State women to vote wisely in the forthcoming governorship election in the state.
According to her “It doesn’t matter how full you are now, hunger will come when that food digest and you have to eat again. What am I saying? Whatever they collect because they need to vote, will not last them for the next four years.
“Therefore they must pay attention to the candidate. They must look at the manifestoes and see the ones that resonate with them”,
Also speaking, chairman, NAWOJ, Edo State chapter, Comrade Adesuwa Ehimuan said the essence of the event is to sensitize the women especially those in Edo State and to ask them to come out in their large number to cast their votes for their choice candidate.
She said women in the rural areas are actively involved in politics but those in the cities, show a lot of indifference to it which should not be encouraged.
Comrade Ehimuan said that the meeting is set to correct such behaviour and promote all inclusiveness.