….. Says Women have been sidelined

By Achadu Gabriel, Kaduna

Nigeria based NGOs, Women for Peace in Nigeria (WOPIN), has strongly advocated for credible female running mate as vice presidential candidates and deputy governorship candidates across the country come 2023.

In a somewhat inference,the association is not mincing words in soliciting and charging the prominent party leadership, APC, PDP, for women’ consideration for the position of Vice President and Deputy Governors in the current democratic dispensation in the country, saying they’ve been sideline for too long.

The President and Founder of WOPIN, Dr. Maryam Abdullahi, who made the assertions in a statement issued to mark the June 12 Democracy Day Anniversary, said women can be good candidates for top positions, while lamenting “decades women have been sidelined.”

“We are therefore using this forum to call on women and bring them into mainstream governance. As excellent backbones of strong and successful families, it is time to change the narration of governance in Nigeria.

She advised that ”The consciousness of the citizens shoulder be heightened to include men and women for a balanced Nigeria,”

“And as we can see, near total exclusion of women in governmental affairs of this country has led us to where we are today.

“We are therefore calling on all the presidential candidates to pick females as their running mates, as true change is what Nigeria deserves” She noted.

According to her, “There can never be a mother in the house and the children go hungry. A mother hen is naturally protective of it chicks, the future of Nigeria is at stake and the need to include women at top positions cannot be overemphasized.”

She referred to Global women leaders like “Angela Mackel of Germany, whom she revealed stabilized the world and so did other women like Mrs Helen Johnson Sirleaf of Liberia who led her country out of the refuse of civil war as well as other strong powerful women. The list goes on and on.
“Nigeria at this time needs women inclusion in its mainstream politics. Women, passionate mothers must stand up for women in leadership, we need leaders not politicians. Mothers that will consider the future of our next generation and not politicians that are looking forward to the next election.”

“Our call is not for gender equality but for the inclusion of women in the country’s political structure for a more balanced and progressive Nigeria.We are therefore calling on all women to come on board for a better Nigeria, for the sake of our children and the future generation, she said further

“Remember, women formed a large block of the population of this country, a society is a better society if women and mothers are better people and included in the management of the society. If we cannot be the head, we should be the neck.

“We are therefore calling on women who have what it takes to heal Nigeria. We have the chance to right the wrongs of past decades of being sideline, let’s make it happen. You are strong, intelligent and capable advocate of peace not just in the homes but the country at large. Let’s work together to turn our dream into a reality as we move side by side into a brand new dawn of sound political rebirth,” the women for peace stated.

End