PRESIDENT Goodluck Jonathan has been told not to spare any efforts at conducting a credible election and averting any election related violence, while being mindful of the reality that restructuring the country is more important than the election, “whenever it is held.”
Making the call Saturday in Enugu, the Igbo Youths Movement (IYM) and the Southeast Self Determination Coalition (SSDC) stated that, “we are more worried about pre-electoral and post-electoral violence because Ndigbo have shed enough blood on the altar of one Nigeria. All hands should be on deck to restructure Nigeria now and reduce the powers in the centre, that way, the fierce struggle for power will come to an end.”
According to the spokesman of the groups, Mr. Elliot Uko, “the reasons for postponement of the election reinforce our concern for a proper
restructuring of the country. We are concerned that the plea to restructure Nigeria into true federalism is being delayed. We believe that if the centre is made less attractive, the vicious struggle for central power will be a thing of the past.”
Uko added that, “in April 2011, hundreds of Ndigbo were slaughtered in the northern parts of Nigeria as Goodluck Jonathan was announced winner of the polls. We expect that such ugly incident will not repeat this year especially if security agencies put the process in place.”
Uko claimed that, “self-centered politicians have managed to redirect the attention of Nigerians to the elections, which is the struggle for the control of our oil wealth, thereby diverting our attention from the reality that restructuring Nigeria into a truly federal entity is more important than elections.”
Beyond the issue of security, Uko noted that the resort to violence is a symptom of the desperation to occupy Aso Rock.
“There would be no more fears of electoral violence in the country if the country is restructured. Everybody knows that Nigeria cannot survive if radical political restructuring is delayed much further; everybody knows that continuous delay of full and total implementation of the resolutions of the 2014 National Conference as a first step could spell doom to the unity and survival of Nigeria.”
Meanwhile, the All Progressives Congress (APC) in a Enugu Sate has been charged to ensure better representation and empowerment of women by passing the long standing Equality Bill before the state House of Assembly, which if passed, would address gender sensitivity in all aspects of governance in Enugu.
The call was made yesterday by a forum of women professional groups and non-government organisations in Enugu, in honour of the APC deputy governorship candidate, Juliet Ibekaku.
In her address, Iruka Nwokedi the Coordinator of the forum tagged Team 2015 One Day Women’s Dialogue On Political Participation, urged other women to emulate the courage of Ibekaku by venturing into politics, “because this is the only way to secure the emancipation of women in the country. Men won’t do it for us, we can do it for ourselves.”
According to Nwokedi, who advocated for better representation and empowerment of women, “we want the reactivation of the child to maternal free medical scheme that used to exist and we want an avenue for women to have access to credit facilities that will enable them do their business.”
A lawyer by profession, Nwokedi and the chairperson of the occasion, High Chief Loretta Aniagulu, praised the courage of Ibekaku and called on other women to venture into politics and help secure the emancipation of women in the country.
In her response, Ibekaku, a lawyer by profession, assured the women that most of the changes they are asking for could only be effected through the enthronement of good leadership. According to her, “if we don’t get good leadership, we can’t get the changes we want. An APC government in Enugu will have a constant dialogue with the people to keep in touch and articulate a focus on their needs.”
Enjoining the electorate to vote for only those with credibility and verifiable track records, she said that for Nigeria to come out of its present political and economic woes, the citizens must vote for people, who have what it takes to turn around the dwindling economy of the nation.
Ibekaku posited that APC at all levels “is a party that promotes the participation of women in all its structures. There are women in the Board of Trustees, state and national executive committees, and female candidates in most elective posts and the party has enshrined the 35 per cent women participation in states under its control. The APC is a political platform for patriotic and progressive minds where the major yard stick for the selection of candidates is track record, acceptability and ability of performance.”
