A chieftain of Nigeria’s ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ebonyi State, Ann Agom-Eze, has appealed to President Muhammadu Buhari to give women more slots in his in-coming second term administration.
Agom-Eze, who made the request at a press conference on Thursday in Abakaliki, South East Nigeria, said women deserved better treatment.
Agom-Eze, a senatorial aspirant for Ebonyi South Senatorial District on the platform of APC, said that women were marginalised by most of the big political parties.
She said that few women were given tickets by their political parties to contest for various elective positions in the 2019 general elections.
Agom-Eze appealed to Buhari to compensate women who mobilised and voted for him by implementing the 35 per cent Affirmative Action for appointive positions in his second term administration.
She said: “As we celebrate your excellency on your victory at the poll, please remember the women in politics who were lobbied out at primaries thereby decreasing the number of women elected parliamentarians in the just concluded National Assembly election.
” It is my prayer that your excellency will reward the women, more especially those who participated at the primaries with appointments.
‘We women are asking for 35 per cent in the appointive positions; we all worked hard during the elections to ensure your victory”.
Agom-Eze, who is the Ebonyi coordinator of the Women and Youths Presidential Campaign Team (WYPCT), congratulated Ebonyi women and youths who worked hard to ensure that Buhari won large number of votes in the state.
She urged the President to turn the concerns of millions of Nigerians into positive action.
“You have worked very tirelessly in your first term and your efforts have led to rebuilding the country and thereby making Nigeria a destination for both local and foreign investors.
“You administration has remained focused and resolute on delivering on the three-pronged promises of securing the lives and property of all Nigerians, halting the pillage of the economy by corrupt public officials and job creation.
“The few who believe in free ‘coffee’ this is the time for them to realise that we can no longer go back to Egypt and we say no to corrupt leaders “, she added.
She urged Buhari to take drastic action that would overhaul the power sector in Nigeria to make the sector more efficient and effective in service delivery.
” One of our greatest challenge is that of epileptic power supply which is adversely affecting industrial activities, growth of small and medium businesses as well as social activities.
“And I believe that if the sector is overhauled, it will improve efficiency and effectiveness of power supply and both micro and macro businesses will thrive.
“So, I expect that there will be a Next Level change in the power infrastructure and this will boost industrial and business activities in the country.’’
She called on Ebonyi electorate to troop out en masse to vote candidates of their choice in the March 9 Governorship and State Houses of Assembly polls.
She urged the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to ensure that all factors that could militate against credible, transparent, violence free and fair elections were addressed before the elections.
She also called on security personnel that would be deployed for election security to adhere strictly to their mandate of securing lives of citizens, including election officials and materials.
NAN
