The All Progressives Congress, Tuesday in Abuja, said it would not hand its presidential ticket to anyone who does not prioritize the welfare of women.
The party’s national women leader, Dr Betty Edu, disclosed this to the Women Mobilisation, Hope 23, Yahaya Bello Campaign Organisation, when the group paid a visit to Buhari House, the APC National Secretariat, Abuja.
She urged the women to, as part of their campaign, harp on the registration, adding that electorates cannot enforce their mandate at the polls next year without PVC.
“The APCC women’s wing will be coming on out, will be going to states to mobilise women to go and register remember. If they don’t have their voters card our work is useless even if they give any of our aspirants the tickets it will not amount to (victory).
“Let us pray for our leaders. Let’s pray for our country. Let’s pray that the best leader will emerge victorious in our next convention. That’s where we can go with our full shoulders to the polls.
“But one thing is certain APC will not give its tickets to a presidential candidate who will not favour women. We know our President and all the glass ceilings he has broken. You know our party chairman and all the glass ceilings he has broken for women; giving us free forms.”
She argued that all aspirants who have so far declared for the presidency are far above the board and qualified to lead the country.
“Now as a party, our party will come together under the leadership of the President, Major General Muhamadu Buhari (retd.), and of course the national chairman and other leadership structures of our party to decide on whom will be the candidates of our dear party.
“Before that decision is made, there is something we must do immediately. If indeed you are supporting a candidate in APC, you are supporting Governor Yahaya Bello, you must go out now and begin the door-to-door mobilization for registration. Go door-to-door and begin the campaign for voter registration.
In her address, the Director, Women Mobilisation, Hope 23, Yahaya Bello Campaign Organisation, Zara Onyinye, said candidates who empower women stand a greater chance to win the Presidential elections.
“We are here to first congratulate our woman leader for her new office and also to solicit support for our candidate who is also an APC aspirant in the coming presidential race. Of course, the chances are huge.
“Just like we’ve been saying and we’ve enumerated earlier on, a candidate who supports a woman will definitely stand the chance of winning this election because women form the highest number of voters across Nigeria and they also know that if they support that person, that person who has shown that he has the women in his heart, he has a love for women, he creates enabling environment for women, he gave them that opportunity to sell and that person is Yahaya Bello.
“All the women have shown that he has indicated interest as the person who supported them, that same person they’re going to support and so that stands him out of all the aspirants going for this election.”
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