WOMEN ARE ENCOURAGED TO SUPPORT FELLOW WOMEN TO ATTAIN HIGHER POLITICAL POSITIONS.

Resource persons on  Democracy in Action, a Radio  Nigeria, Enugu Current Affairs Programme say active participation of women in politics will promote inclusive and vibrant  democratic society devoid of corruption and other vices. They therefore called on Nigerians to encourage women to participate  effectively in politics since they were more likely to be forthright in their dealings.

Contributing to the programme,  a foremost politician in the old Anambra State, Chief Maria Okwor said that women had contributed immensely to the political development of the nation but had not taken their rightful positions in governance.

Chief Okwor suggested that women should demand for post of deputies if they could not get key positions from their parties.

‘’Politics is not is not a dirty game, it is the players that are dirty. See the countries women are heading, how far they have gone. Women have important role to play in governance. Maybe we should even start insisting that every state should have a woman as a deputy and every Local Government Chairman, his deputy should be a woman. Let’s start from there .’’  

 A Former Lawmaker in Enugu State, Chief Nwabueze Ugwu attributed the low percentage of women in positions of authority to envy, custom and the impression that certain positions were for men. Chief Ugwu encouraged the female folk to be confident  and support their fellow women to make a headway.

‘’If a woman begins to contest for a position, most women will be asking themselves what makes  this woman feel superior, why must she be given that position? It is the same women that encourage the men to be in charge instead of their fellow women. Women are far more in number and ought to be in charge.’’  He said.

Similarly, the National Coordinator, Vocational Entrepreneurship Development Association Nigeria, Dr. Walter Madu, advised women to work harder and aspire for the highest positions.

‘’Most women we know  in politics are very straight in their dealings. Honestly, if women were given chance to contest for presidency, people will vote enmasse but men would not give them chance. The role women play in managing the affairs of their homes, if they play it in politics , they will do better.’’

Dr. Madu condemned the alleged nomination of candidates by God fathers, thereby making it difficult for women to emerge victorious in Party Primaries.

NNEKA UGWUANYI